Bedfellows
by NJ Coffee Queen
Summary: The only way they can sleep is beside each other.
1. Chapter 1

New story! It's actually inspired by the first Dramione story I'd ever written. Hope you enjoy!

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Prologue

"How long can we keep doing this?" Hermione Granger wondered one night as she stared at the dark ceiling.

Beside her, at a respectable distance, laid Draco Malfoy. She was a Gryffindor in a Slytherin's bed. He was also the only other person at Hogwarts who had fought in the Second Wizarding War. They weren't friends. They were barely acquaintances. But each night, after the rest of her roommates in Gryffindor tower had gone to sleep, Hermione Granger slipped out of her bed and wandered down to the dungeons. There, the Slytherin dormitory was located, and inside, resided Draco Malfoy.

The sleepless nights had begun when they first arrived at school. The war had ended a year earlier and the reconstruction had moved quickly. By September, the school had reopened and began admitting students once more. Hermione had thought it a good idea to return in order to finish her schooling. When she arrived, all she could see were the battles, the injuries, the deaths. At night, she wandered the halls with the help of the Marauders' Map, careful to avoid anyone of authority.

It was on the first night that she came across Draco near the Great Hall. Sure that he would get in trouble for being out so late, she attempted to convince him to find someplace more private. "I think I'll stay right here if it's all the same to you," he had replied.

That night, she left him there, but watched him on the map to make sure he wasn't caught by Filch. Night after night, she found Draco in the same place. For weeks, they sat in silence, neither one sure how to begin a conversation with the other. Then, just before Halloween, he asked her why she roamed the halls at night.

"I can't stop seeing it," she admitted.

Draco then sighed and rested his head against the wall. "Me neither," he replied.

It wasn't long after that their routine evolved. One night, Filch was closer than Hermione thought. Her dorm was too far away even if she could outrun the old groundskeeper. The Slytherin dorms, however, were closer than she thought. Grabbing her hand, Draco pulled her down to the stairwell until they were sure the coast was clear. Filch remained in the foyer though. Without a word, Draco led her further down into the dungeons. She tried to protest, tried to wrench her hand free, but he held tighter.

"Would you rather stand in a stairwell all night?" he asked, taking her to his common room. "At least here you'll be comfortable."

"Yes, because nothing says comfort quite like being surrounded by people who hate me," she retorted as he sat down on a green leather sofa.

Draco shrugged as he made himself comfortable. "We hate each other and yet you seek me out every night," he stated.

Sighing, she sat down beside him, careful to keep a cushion between them. "I don't hate you," she mumbled. "Do...do you still hate me?"

He shook his head. "No," he replied. "I'm still not a fan of Potter and Weasley, but you've really given me no reason to hate you. Besides, after everything that's happened, I don't have think I have the strength to dislike you anymore."

"That's good to know, I guess," she said, resting her head against the back of the sofa.

Propping his feet up on the coffee table, he beckoned her to come closer. "You look tired," he commented. "Put your head down."

She glanced at him warily. "Where?"

Closing his eyes, he shrugged. "Anywhere," he replied. "McGonagall confiscated the throw pillows after a few first years decided they made good weapons. You, um, could use my, uh, lap."

Smirking, she instead mimicked his posture. "Is this how you get girls to sleep with you?" she wondered. "Make up a story about throw pillows and offer them your lap instead?"

"Most girls are dumb enough to fall for it," he joked. "Clearly you're too smart for my usual moves."

Placing her feet back on the floor, she sat up straight. "Are you...is that what you're trying to do?" she asked nervously.

He opened his eyes then and shook his head. "I promise you I'm not," he replied. "Um, most nights after I talk to you, I sleep sort of well. I don't know why that is, but that's the way it is. I was curious to see if sleeping near you might produce a better night's sleep."

"Trying to appeal to the academic-minded with your hypothesis, are you?" she asked.

"How else would I do it?" he wondered, shutting his eyes once more. "Now, try to sleep. You won't need your trunk anymore with the bags under your eyes."

And it had worked. Hermione had slept better that night than she had in years. From that night on, they met in the stairwell and Draco took her to his dormitory. After weeks of sleeping on the couch and numerous complaints about his sore neck, they moved to his bed. As the only Slytherin "eighth" year, Draco had been given private quarters usually reserved for the head student.

Now, with only weeks until the term ended, Hermione worried that it meant the end of her dreamless nights. She also worried that it meant the end of her quasi friendship with Draco. Though they didn't interact often during school hours, they did share classes during the day and a bed at night. Their friends would never approve of their situation though. For too long Draco had harassed and tortured Harry, Ron, and the Weasleys. They wouldn't soon forgive his childhood bullying.

Beside her, Draco sighed. "We're not doing anything wrong," he stated.

"I know," she replied. "I wasn't implying that we were. I'm just curious."

Rolling onto his side, he smiled when she did the same. "How long do you want this to go on?" he wondered. "Because I know my answer."

"What about our friends?" she asked.

He lifted one shoulder carelessly. "What about them?" he replied. "Like I said - we're not doing anything wrong."

Hermione nodded and reached for his hand. "I don't want this to end when school does," she decided.

Draco smiled and tightened his grip on her hand. "I don't either."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you all so much for enjoying chapter 1! One reviewer asked if this would eventually turn into smut, and I can promise it won't. Man, I hope I didn't lose readers for saying that.

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Chapter 1

Hermione stared at the clock on her bedside table and sighed. Draco usually arrived well before midnight, but he had yet to show. They had developed a routine in the years following Hogwarts. Each night, Draco would leave work for Hermione's flat. She would feed him dinner. They discussed their days. Just after ten o'clock they would change into their nightclothes and slip into bed. They always maintained a respectable distance, but Hermione usually awoke with Draco's arm around her waist.

Sighing, she shut her eyes and willed sleep to come. The sound of the floo was a reprieve, and she hoped it was Draco stepping through. Throwing off the blankets, she padded to the living room and smiled. "You're late," she stated when she spotted him.

"Trust me," he said as he slipped off his shoes, "I'd much rather have been here than at work. There is just _so_ much that I never wanted to know about the economic situation of wizarding France. Have anything to eat?"

Nodding, she turned towards the kitchen. "Your father sure does have you working some long hours," she commented as she heated a bowl of pasta for him.

"That he does," he mumbled in agreement. "Thinks it's time I got off my lazy arse and made something of myself. I'm only 22. Why do I have to make something of myself now?"

Hermione shrugged and sat down across from him at the kitchen table. "Why not now?" she countered. "Lucius can't run the company forever. I think he just wants you to show him that you could do it someday."

"What if that's not what I want though?" he wondered as he ate his dinner.

She covered his free hand with her own. "Then you'll figure out what it is you want," she replied, her voice soft. "But it's late, so I don't think you should ponder it now. Finish eating and come to bed."

Draco nodded and did as he was told. Minutes later, he entered her bedroom to find the lights off and Hermione buried beneath the covers. "Cold?" he asked as he began to undress. The temperature had begun to drop in recent weeks; fall leaving summer in its wake. Despite the darkness, he saw her nod. Slipping beneath the blankets in only his boxer shorts, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. "I'm sorry I got here so late."

"It's alright," she replied, shivering against him.

"Did you manage to get any sleep?" he asked, though he already knew the answer would be no.

Hermione shook her head. "Do you think we're too dependent on one another?" she asked.

Tucking his hand beneath his head, Draco sighed. "No," he replied. "Okay, maybe a little if we need the other one around in order to sleep. I thought that's what friends did - help each other. Where's this coming from?"

"Harry," she replied with a shrug.

Laughing, Draco rolled his eyes. Harry Potter had been the one person who hadn't chastised Hermione for befriending their former enemy. Though he had been wary, Harry had also noticed that she seemed happy with Malfoy. He had made a point of letting Draco know that if he hurt Hermione, Harry would kill him without a second thought.

"And here I thought this seemed like a very Harry Potter thing to do," he mused.

Hermione slapped his shoulder. "Is that why you're doing this? So you can feel like Harry Potter?" she inquired.

"No, I just like sleeping with pretty girls," he replied.

He expected her to laugh or hit him again. Instead, Hermione remained silent for a moment. "You really think I'm pretty?" she asked with an air of self-doubt.

Draco tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "You know I do," he murmured.

"What about other girls?" she wondered.

Propping his head up on his hand, he stared at her quizzically. "Yes, there have been occasions when I've found other girls pretty," he replied. "Want to tell me what's on your mind?"

"It's nothing," she replied, turning over so her back was to him.

Withdrawing his arm, Draco reached over to turn on the lamp. "No, it's not nothing," he stated, sitting up. "What's wrong?"

Sighing, she rolled back over and looked up at him. "I have a date," she told him. "And I...I don't understand it."

Draco resisted the urge the laugh. "What's not to understand?" he wondered. "You'll go out, maybe have dinner, take a walk. What's so confusing about that?"

Groaning, she buried her head beneath the pillow. "It's with Adrian Pucey," came her muffled reply.

This time, he couldn't hold back. Laughing heartily, he pulled the pillow away from head. "You could do much, much worse," he told her. "Although, you did date Weasley, so Adrian is a definite step up. Why are you so embarrassed by that?"

Grabbing the pillow from his hand, she hit him in the head with it. "Because it's Adrian Pucey," she responded exasperatedly. "He's your friend. I've seen the girls he usually dates. Tall, skinny, blonde, heads as empty as a balloon. Why the hell would he ask me out?"

"Maybe because you're the opposite of his usual type," Draco offered. "Maybe he wants to try something different. Have an actual conversation for once, and about something more than the latest shoe sale."

Hermione tucked the pillow beneath her head. "So, I'm not skinny?" she asked.

Rolling his eyes, Draco shut off the light and laid down. "I hate you, you know that," he muttered.

"No, you don't," she replied, grinning in the dark. "You love me. I'm your best friend. You'd be lost without me."

Wrapping his arm around her waist, he kissed her forehead. "I do love you," he replied. "You are my best friend, and I would be lost without you. Merlin, without you, I might have to go home once in awhile."

Her left hand slowly stroked his bicep. "Yes, that would a fate worse than death," she murmured as her eyes grew heavy. "For what it's worth, I love you too."

"Think you could live without me?" he asked.

Hermione snuggled closer to him. "No, I can't."


	3. Chapter 3

I had a really strange and terrifying dream the other night that Voldemort forced me into the Hunger Games. Three times. I woke up before my brother and I had to enter the arena.

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Chapter 2

"So, uh, you and Hermione, eh?" Draco asked as he and Adrian took their seats in the Falmouth Falcons' private box.

Adrian shrugged as he removed the top from his butterbeer. "Yeah, so?"

Introductions had just begun and their friend, Marcus Flint, flew past the box and waved. "So, she's my best friend and I don't trust you with her," Draco replied.

Quirking an eyebrow, Adrian smirked at his younger friend. "And what exactly do you think I'll do to her?" he inquired. "Is it so hard to believe that I might like her? You drag her along to every gathering, every party, every game night. We've gotten to know each other over the years, and I enjoy talking to her. What's so bad about having a little dinner as well?"

Draco scowled as he focused on the field. There was nothing wrong with the two of them having dinner. It was what potentially came after dinner that worried him. "Hermione's different, special," he said. "She's not the kind of girl you can sleep with on the first date. Hell, she's not even the type of girl who'll let you kiss her on the first date. So, if you're only interested in pulling the shag and run, you've got the wrong person."

"What makes you think I'm interested in shagging Hermione?" Adrian wondered. A raised eyebrow was Draco's only response. "Okay, fine. My reputation precedes me. Those girls, all of them, wanted that. It's not like I forced myself on any of them. If a quick romp in the sheets isn't what Hermione wants, then I have no intention of doing more than eating."

Draco smirked. "Yes, I've heard you're quite quick," he remarked. "Might want to see a healer about that problem."

Adrian punched his friend's shoulder and returned his attention to the game. Draco, however, had trouble concentrating on the action. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the mobile phone Hermione had insisted he have. He frowned as he checked his messages and realized he had none. Pressing the "Off" key, he snapped the phone shut, and pocketed it.

"Expecting a call?" Adrian inquired.

Draco shook his head. "Hermione's spending the day with the Weasleys," he shared. "Another shower. She couldn't remember who it was for, or what it was for, for that matter. Honestly, I don't know why she still goes to these things. She and the little She-Weasley had a falling out years ago when Hermione dumped the weasel. Still blames me for it."

"Why? Did she walk in on the two of you shagging?" Adrian asked, knowing full well that the pair had never had anything but a platonic relationship.

"Merlin, I wish it had been as simple as that," Draco replied. "We got off the train together after completing our final term. She was laughing about something and touched my arm. That's it. Simple as that. Of course, what's her name blew it out of proportion."

"Doesn't seem like enough of a reason to stop being friends with someone," Adrian mused.

Draco shrugged. "It seemed to be enough for Ginny Weasley," he muttered. "I can tell you this much - Potter hasn't been happy with her behavior for quite some time."

"Bit slow, that one," Adrian muttered as Marcus scored. "Do you think it ever bothers him or Weasley that you've taken their place? I mean, five years ago, I bet it would have been one of them lecturing me about trying to date Hermione. Now, that's your job."

He didn't know why, but the idea made Draco uncomfortable. "She doesn't need me to protect her," he stated.

Adrian scoffed. "If you really believed that, then you wouldn't tell me to stay away from her," he countered. "The two of you have an enviable friendship. I'm not going to come between the two of you."

"Uh-huh, and if something happens between the two of you?" Draco inquired. "Say the two of you have a nasty break up. Who do I side with? You or Hermione?"

Adrian shrugged and watched as the Seekers chased the Golden Snitch. "Side with her," he said. "Or side with no one. Why do you have to pick sides at all? Besides, we haven't even gone out yet. Why are you talking about the break up already?"

The Snitch was caught by the Cannons' Seaker as disgruntled fans began to pelt the field with whatever they could throw. "Let's get out of here," Draco suggested, getting to his feet. They left their section and Apparated to Malfoy Manor once they reached the exit.

Narcissa Malfoy stood by the sink and frowned at the sight of the two boys. "Oh, I was hoping it was Hermione," she said, turning off the tap when she finished filling the kettle. "She promised she would stop by for tea."

"Sorry, Mum. Her party must be running long," Draco replied.

"And our game ran short," Adrian added. "Honestly, I've never seen a Seeker catch the Snitch so quickly. Lucky for Marcus too because that Beater from the Cannons was out to get him."

Patting Draco's arm as she passed, Narcissa requested that he alert her to Hermione's arrival. "She likes Hermione more than me," Draco stated when his mother left the kitchen.

Adrian nodded. "Doesn't even try to hide it," he added. "Can't say I blame her. I prefer Hermione to you."

"So that's why you haven't asked me out," Draco replied sarcastically. "And here I thought I was just too pretty for you."

Adrian began to rummage through the cabinets for something to eat. "No offense, but Hermione's much prettier than you," he said.

"Well, thank goodness for that," Hermione replied, interrupting their conversation.

When she reached his side, Draco looped an arm around her shoulders. "Mum's looking for you," he told her. "Is she forcing you to go to whatever gala she's planning?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and nodded. "According to note that accompanied the invitation, it's high time I meet someone worthy," she replied. "She went on to say that you are not a suitable match for me, and she can't understand why I would deign to befriend you. Clearly, I'm too good for you."

"I've been saying that for years," Adrian commented.

Draco smirked. "Clearly she's too good for you too then," he retorted.

"Stop it now, the both of you," Hermione chastised as she removed his arm from her shoulders. "I'm going to find your mother. Behave."

When Hermione was gone, Adrian asked, "Do you really think your mother would try to find her a husband?"

Draco shrugged. "I think that's exactly what she intends to do."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Stepping into Hermione's flat early, Draco made himself comfortable. Hermione was having dinner with Adrian, and he expected her to return early. Stretching out on the sofa, he closed his eyes and waited for the telltale signs that he was no longer alone. He didn't hear the door open, but he felt a sudden weight rest atop him.

"How'd it go?" he asked, eyes still closed.

Hermione sighed. "We had a nice time," she replied.

"That's it?" he said with a chuckle.

Moving off of him, Hermione sat beside him with Draco's legs draped over her lap. "What else do you want me to say?" she wondered. "We went to dinner. We talked. He was a complete gentleman, thanks to you, if my suspicions are correct. Not once did he attempt to make a move on me, nor did he ask me to come home with him. He dropped me off here, outside, and kissed my cheek before leaving. It was a completely harmless evening."

"Think you'd go out with him again?"

Hermione shrugged and pushed his legs off her lap. "I don't know," she replied. "Can we just go to bed?"

Nodding, he stood up and held out his hand to her. "You know, I've been thinking," he said as they walked to the bedroom. "What if we just move in together? I spend almost all of my time here as it is. It kind of makes sense, don't you think?"

She began to undress and change into her nightclothes. "You want to live here?" she asked.

"Or we could find another flat," Draco suggested. "I'm not picky."

Hermione laughed as she climbed into bed. "Right, because when I think Draco Malfoy, I think _not picky_," she teased. "You're the most opinionated person I know. You live in a mansion. Do you really think you'd be able to downsize to a one bedroom flat? This entire place could fit in your shoe closet."

He laid down beside her and stared at the ceiling. "Yeah, but it's not like I _need_ all that space," he countered. "I already sleep here every night. I have my own drawers and space in the closet. I learned to cook in your kitchen. Sure, it was bad, but I still did it. I practically live here as it is. Why not make it official?"

Sighing, she rolled over to face him. "We've never talked about it, but what do we do if we start dating other people?" she wondered. "Can we keep doing this? Will I really be able to sleep without you? Say we marry completely different people. There's no way this can go on."

Sitting up, he stared down at her. "Does this have something to do with Pucey?" he asked.

"It was one dinner," she said, rolling her eyes. "Yes, I had a nice time with Adrian, but I have no intentions of marrying him. I don't even know if we'll go out again. I just think this is something we need to think about before making any big decisions."

Tossing the blankets aside, Draco got to his feet. "Fine, I'll think about it at my house," he decided as he left the bedroom.

Stunned, Hermione sat up in bed, watching as he walked away from her. She heard the sound of flames and knew he was gone. For the first time in years, she faced the idea of sleeping alone, and wondered if she really could. Stubbornness was a quality the pair possessed in spades, and Hermione was too proud to chase after him. Choosing to settle in and sleep alone, Hermione laid down and shut her eyes. She could do this, she told herself. It was possible to get through the night without Draco.

The next morning, with the help of a pot of coffee and a little makeup, Hermione went to work looking fresh and alert. "Well, well, you certainly look well rested," Adrian said as he stood in the doorway to her office.

She glanced up at the tall blond. He wore a smirk similar to Draco's, but his green eyes were alight with mirth. "Is it safe to assume that you and Draco talked?" she inquired. Adrian nodded and entered the office. He placed a cup of coffee on the desk and sat down across from her. "It wasn't so bad. Granted, I only slept about two hours altogether. I think the important thing is that I did it, and I could do it again."

"Sure, or the two of you can kiss and make up," Adrian suggested. "Since when do the two of you fight anyhow? The last time I remember the two of you fighting was your second year."

"We've fought since then," she replied. "We just usually, as you put it, kiss and make up."

Frowning, he asked, "What's so different about this time?"

Hermione sighed as the fight replayed in her mind. "He wants us to move in together," she said. "And his reasons are completely justified. He does spend most of his time at my flat. I like having him around. I need him around."

"Then what's stopping you from saying yes?" Adrian wondered.

Glancing away, she spotted a framed photo of Draco and herself on vacation in Greece, taken the year before. "What if I want to get married?" she asked Adrian, recalling how they had spent their trip denying that they were a couple. "What if I meet the man of my dreams? How does Draco fit into that? The arrangement we have now certainly doesn't work if either one of us is in a relationship."

Adrian shrugged. "You're Hermione Granger, brightest witch to ever cross the Hogwarts threshold," he replied, not knowing what else to say. "You'll figure out a way to make it all work."

Hermione frowned. If there was one thing she hated more than not having all the answers, it was people assuming that she had them. Just once, she hoped someone else would solve her problem. "How would you feel if you were dating a woman who was sharing a bed with another man?" she asked. "There's nothing sexual about it. They've only ever been friends. Neither one has any intention of furthering that relationship. How would you feel?"

"Honestly? I don't think most guys would be happy about it," Adrian replied. "It would be one thing if you were friends and roommates who slept in separate rooms, but it could be worrisome for some guys to know that their girlfriend is sharing a bed with someone else."

"Right, but how would _you_ feel?" she prodded.

Adrian smiled. "I think I've known the two of you long enough to understand the situation," he stated. "And I think I really enjoyed our date, and I'm hoping there will be a second one. I know I can live with your arrangement until you feel comfortable letting it go."

"For whatever it's worth, I had a really nice time too."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

"Adrian might be perfect," Hermione declared as she sat down in front of Harry Potter. "He's sweet and funny and intelligent and my sleeping arrangements don't bother him in the least. He really might be perfect, Harry."

Harry grinned wryly. "You didn't happen to see Draco waiting outside, did you?" he inquired. "I'm sure he'd love to hear that. He'll be in any minute for our weekly check in. You might want to save some of this for him."

Scowling, she turned around to face the closed door. "Since when is he checking in with you?" she wondered, turning back to face Harry.

"A few weeks now," Harry replied. "They moved some people around, and he's a part of my group now. So, tell me more about Adrian Pucey and his perfect, perfect ways."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione got to her feet. "Your sarcasm isn't appreciated," she stated. "And...just don't tell Draco what I said." She waited for him to agree before she left.

In the hallway, Draco rounded the corner with a stack of files in hand. Not paying attention to where he was going, as he knew the route to Harry's office like the back of his hand, it startled him when he walked into someone. "Merlin, I'm sorry," he muttered as his folders fell to the ground.

"It's fine."

Glancing up from his mess of paperwork, he realized it was Hermione who was helping him. "Um, hi," he said when they both stood up.

"Harry's waiting for you," Hermione told him as she stared at the haphazardly arranged papers.

Draco nodded and she began to walk away. "Hermione, wait," he said, hoping she would listen. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about last night."

She smiled softly. "I know," she replied. "We'll talk later. Go have your check in with Harry."

He entered Harry's office and was met with a grin. "You just saw Hermione, didn't you?" Harry asked. Draco nodded as he attempted to organize his folders. "You want to talk to her, don't you? And you're going to be no good to me until you do."

"What? No, I'm fine," Draco replied.

"Uh-huh, sure. Get out," Harry said. Draco stared at him, dumbstruck and a bit afraid. "You're not fired. I'm not sending you home. I'm just forcing you to talk to her. I don't know what's going on, but I know something _is_ going on. Go clear it up. Only then are you allowed to come back. And maybe you can explain to me why Hermione's dating Adrian Pucey. Frankly, I don't get it."

Draco muttered, "Yeah, me neither," before leaving the office. Turning the corner, he entered the lifts and pressed the button for the eighth floor. Walking the familiar path, he reached Hermione's office in seconds. "So, is later now?" he asked, standing in her doorway.

Glancing up, she smiled at the sight of him. "Come on in, friend," she replied. When he was seated in front of her desk, her smile wavered. "Listen, before you say anything, I want to say that I'm sorry. Last night was awful, and I was awful. I treated you horribly, and you don't deserve that."

"Not breaking up with me, I hope," he joked, thinking it might lighten the mood.

Shaking her head, Hermione assured him that they were fine. "At least, I hope we are," she amended.

Frowning, brow furrowing, Draco seemed confused. "Why wouldn't we be?" he wondered. "We've gotten past so much more than this. One disagreement doesn't erase the last five years."

Nodding, she replied. "I know. I just needed to make sure."

"Make sure of what?" he asked.

She shrugged and glanced at their picture. "That you're still my best friend," she replied.

The worry lines on his forehead deepened. "I'll never stop being your best friend," he assured her. "I'm sorry I pushed the whole moving in thing. I shouldn't have stormed out just because you had concerns. If you're not comfortable living together, I won't say another word about it until you decide it's something you want."

"If we don't live together, would you still come over every night?" she asked.

"Nothing will change," he promised. "We're still us, and we both know that we still need this. I certainly know that I do. I couldn't close my eyes at all last night. Just the fear of a nightmare kept me awake."

She offered a sympathetic smile. "I managed to close my eyes a few times," she told him. "And then the nightmares would start. It was the one where Voldemort killed Harry. I hate that one."

Draco nodded knowingly. It was the first of her nightmares had woken them both. He remembered the first time it had happened, back in their school days. She had cried while he held her and convinced her that it was just a dream. "It's not real though," he said out of habit. "That one will never be real."

"I know," she murmured. "I tried to tell myself that. Doesn't sound as good coming from me."

"How about I come home with you after drinks tonight?" he offered. "Maybe the combination of booze and each other will help us sleep." Once she agreed, Draco took his leave. Entering Harry's office, he reclaimed his seat. "We talked," Draco announced.

Harry looked up and grinned. "What about?" he inquired.

Shrugging his shoulders, Draco replied, "Stuff."

"Did Pucey come up?"

Scowling, Draco shook his head. "Actually, no," he said. "Doesn't matter. That was a one time thing. Hermione said so herself."

Disbelievingly, Harry raised his eyebrows, but said nothing more on the subject. "So, uh, did you bring your most recent case files?" he asked.

Draco pointed to the disorganized stack of folders he had left on the desk earlier. "What did she say to you?" he inquired.

"Tell me what happened with the Johansen case," Harry said instead.

Sighing impatiently, Draco told him what he wanted to know. It was an easy, open and shut sort of case, and their suspect was awaiting trial in Azkaban. "Now, tell me what she said about Pucey."

"Why does it matter?" Harry wondered as he straightened up Draco's files. "It doesn't seem like you to be bothered by who Hermione spends time with."

There was a look of defeat in Draco's gray eyes. "Because she's never lied to me about it before."


	6. Chapter 6

You guys - Bob Dylan is doing soundcheck outside my building because he's performing tonight. My inner hippie/flower child is going nuts! There are a couple of other bands playing with him, but I don't know them. And I don't care to because BOB DYLAN! Is Tambourine Man stuck in anyone else's head? No, just mine? Cool.

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Chapter 5

Watching the ceiling spin, Draco regretted drinking so much. Hermione said nothing as she set a glass of water and two aspirin on the nightstand beside him. She quietly rounded the bed and slipped beneath the covers, keeping her back to him.

"Was I a complete idiot tonight?" he asked, slowly rolling over to take the pills she left him.

Sighing, Hermione turned over to face him. "That depends. Does starting a fight with Adrian seem stupid to you?" she inquired.

He winced at the anger in her voice. "Yeah," he replied. "Yeah, it does. I'm sorry."

"You know, Draco, there's going to come a time when 'I'm sorry' won't cut it," she warned.

He swallowed thickly. "Is that time now?" he wondered.

Reaching for his hand, she held it tight. "No," she replied. "I just don't want us to ever get to that point. You said you were fine with Adrian and me going out. You didn't seem fine tonight though."

"I, uh, I guess I thought it was just that once," he admitted. "But then tonight with the talking and the laughing and the...touching. You wouldn't lie to me, right?"

"I haven't yet. Why start now?" she wondered.

Nodding, he rolled onto his side. "Do you see the two of you going further than just one date?" he asked.

Biting her bottom lip, she nodded. "Yes, I do," she told him. "This was technically supposed to be date number two, but my idiot best friend ruined things a bit."

"Yeah, that Harry has a way of bumbling things up," Draco replied, getting a laugh out of Hermione. "I'm a bit scared of things changing between us."

"They're not going to," she promised, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "I need to know that you're okay with this though. Adrian was your friend first, and I don't want you to feel like you're stuck in the middle. If it bothers you, please tell me."

Draco sighed. He wanted to say that it was fine. He had spent much of the night observing how happy Hermione was with Adrian Pucey, and knew that she deserved to be happy. As much as he wanted to accept their relationship, a part of Draco had always held out hope that it would be Hermione and him. Theirs was a friendship he thought would last until the end of their days, despite his mother's attempts to meddle in the love lives. They belonged together.

"Sure, it's fine," he replied with a yawn. "Sleep now? I have a feeling I'm going to be hurting in the morning."

The next morning, Draco awoke to a cup of coffee and a vial of potion concocted to help his hangover. He smiled as he gulped down the potion and chased it with the coffee. Throwing back the blankets, he left the bedroom and found Hermione reading the paper at the kitchen table. "Morning," she greeted him. "Remember much from last night?"

He remembered it all - every word, every thought, every feeling. "Did I, uh, get into a fight with anyone?" he asked, feigning memory loss.

Hermione frowned. "You did," she confirmed. "With Adrian. He touched my hand and you pushed him. I'm choosing to blame the alcohol for your antics. It couldn't possibly be anything else, could it?"

"Like what?" he wondered, pouring himself another cup of coffee. Shrugging, Hermione resumed her reading. "Seriously, Hermione, like what?"

Shutting the paper, she took her time folding it before setting it aside. "Jealousy?" she suggested. "Fear that, despite how many times I say nothing will change, that they really might. Or maybe you're mad at me for choosing one of your friends to date. Am I getting close to the reason?"

"I don't know," he mumbled, staring down at his cup.

"Maybe I should end things with Adrian now," she decided, though by the tone of her voice she didn't seem to want to do it. "I don't want to cause problems between the two of you, and I certainly don't want to ruin things between us."

Draco shook his head, letting her know that wasn't an option. "Don't do that," he replied with a resigned sigh. Hermione began to protest, but he shook his head again. "No, you're happy with him. I can get used to this. I'll have to."

She reached for his hand and held it between both of her own. "No, you don't," she said. "I'm sure your mother has plenty of options lined up for me at her next party. Maybe there are even some who aren't your friends."

He chuckled half heartedly and pulled his hand away. "I think I'm going to skip this one," he decided. "I don't think I can handle another round of the dating game, hosted by my mother. Mind if I shower here? I'm pretty sure my mother has gotten wind of what happened last night, and I'd like to avoid that talk for as long as possible."

Receiving her permission, he entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him. Hermione began to clean up the kitchen, but couldn't keep her mind off Draco. Both had dated in the past, but her relationship with Adrian really seemed to get under his skin. Never before had he acted so strangely when there was a man in her life.

She entered the bedroom just as Draco emerged from the steam-filled bathroom. "Why don't you hang out here today," she suggested. "It's been awhile since we've spent time together without the rest of the group. Don't get me wrong - I love that Neville Longbottom and Marcus Flint are the best of friends now. I just think we need some alone time."

"Is this about Adrian?" Draco wondered as he dressed.

"No, it's about you and me," Hermione replied. "I just want to spend the day with you."

He turned to face her, half dressed, and with one eyebrow quirked. "It's been awhile since we've done that," he agreed. "I was beginning to think you didn't like me anymore."

Crossing the room, she wrapped her arms around his torso. "I've invested far too much time and energy in this friendship to change my mind now," she replied. "Besides, getting all of your stuff out of here would take forever."

"Okay, ignoring all of that, let's spend the day together," he decided.

Hermione nodded and let go of him. "You know what else I think?" she asked. "I think, given how much stuff you already have here and the amount you spend here, maybe you should just move in."

"I seem to recall you having a thousand and one reasons why that wasn't a good idea when I suggested it," he reminded her.

She grinned. "True, but now it's my idea so of course it's perfect," she remarked. "So, what do you say? Roommates?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

"Lunch?"

Hermione looked up to find Adrian standing in her doorway. It had been two days since they last talked at the pub, and she was sure that having lunch with him was a bad idea. "Why don't you come in," she suggested. "We need to talk."

"Uh-oh," he replied with a grin. "That never ends well."

She nodded and waited for him to sit. "It's about Draco," she started. "We talked, and he's going to move into my flat."

He breathed a pretend sigh of relief. "And here I thought you were going to end things between us," he replied. "It's about time the two of you just moved in together."

"That's the thing though," she said. "I think we need to. Draco isn't handling it well, and I can't jeopardize my friendship with him."

Adrian scoffed. "You know, I never took you for the type to do whatever some man tells you to do," he remarked. That's what I liked about you. I thought you were the kind of woman who thought for herself. Guess I was wrong."

"Yeah, I guess you were," she retorted. "Maybe I was wrong about you too, though. I was under the assumption you respected my loyalty to friends. Wasn't it you who always teased me about my Gryffindor ways?"

Getting to his feet, Adrian shook his head. "Right, this is all my fault," he muttered. "Maybe I should have just listened to Potter when he said not to date you. You and Malfoy have your strange little life together, and no one will ever come between it."

Before Hermione could respond, he left her office with a slam of the door. There was no retort that came to mind. She knew he was right. Their relationship was special, based on an ongoing need for the other. That didn't make it strange though.

Unable to concentrate, Hermione left her office for the Auror department. Draco was seated at his desk, bent over a stack of paperwork, when she arrived. "Do you have a minute?" she asked.

He glanced up at her, then back down at his work, before returning his focus to her. "For you, absolutely," he replied, standing up. "Besides, I really have no interest in adapting to Harry's anal retentive file organization system."

"And yet you arranged all my towels by color, from lightest to darkest," she commented, following him to a conference room. "So, um, I ended things with Adrian."

"Just now?" he asked, spinning in his chair. "Did he take it well?"

Hermione snorted. "Not in the slightest," she muttered. "Do you think we're too codependent?"

"No," he answered with conviction. "We're hardly codependent. Needing each other for one little thing isn't a bad thing. Is that what Pucey told you?"

Shrugging, she stared out the charmed window. "Maybe," she mumbled. "I don't think it's a bad thing that we're friends."

"Well good. I don't either," Draco interjected.

"It's just...what if we find 'the ones' someday?" she asked.

Rolling his eyes, Draco muttered, "Not this again."

"No, I'm serious," Hermione said, arms crossed over her chest. "This is important, Draco."

Shaking his head, he got to his feet. "Maybe one day you'll find someone else to keep the nightmares away," he stated. "Until then, can't we just be happy with the way things are? I happen to like the way things are. I like spending my evenings with you, and I like fall asleep beside you. Things are good between us, and I want them to stay that way."

Rounding the table, she stood in front of him and debated what to do next. "I do too," she admitted, deciding to rest her hands on his waist. "I just worry sometimes that you would rather ignore important discussions that need to be had. What if, some day, your mum is successful in marrying you off? Where do I fit in?"

Placing a hand on her cheek, Draco smiled. "I'm a coward. You've known that for years," he replied. "Of course I don't want to have a difficult conversation with you. It could ruin everything."

"Not having these talks could ruin everything too," she pointed out.

"Okay, then," he replied. "Let's go to lunch and have the talk then. I promise not to be petulant if you can promise to keep your hair under control."

Hermione chuckled and nodded in agreement. There had been a time when his wisecracks about her bushy hair had bothered her, but now it was done in lighthearted jest. He only mentioned it when she was angry, as her hair would frizz and grow out of control. "Let's go," she said.

They left the Aurors' floor together as Adrian arrived to see Harry. Without bothering to knock, he let himself into the Auror's office and sat down. "Well, it's over," Adrian announced, startling Harry who hadn't been paying attention to anything but his files.

"Do people not knock on closed doors in this world?" he exclaimed. "Merlin's beard, you scared the hell out of me, Pucey. What do you want?"

Unfazed by Harry's outburst, he shared with him the conversation he and Hermione had had not long ago. "Yeah, so it's over," he concluded.

Harry shrugged. "Told you it would be," he replied. "You don't stand a chance against Malfoy."

Adrian scoffed. "Oh please. He was horrible to her for seven years," he argued. "I never called her a mudblood or wished death on her. I've been nothing but nice to her since he decided she needed to be a part of the group."

"You also weren't there when she needed someone," Harry countered. "And I'm sure if Draco hadn't been there at the time, it would be someone else. The point is, when it comes to relationships, Draco is going to trump them all. You don't see me complaining that he's replaced me as her best friend. You don't hear Ron complaining that he lost her to Malfoy. Sometimes you just have to accept that Hermione's going to do what Hermione wants to do."

"Even when she's doing the wrong thing?"

Harry chuckled. "Hermione Granger has never been wrong," he replied. "Just ask her."

"So you're okay with them being together?" Adrian asked.

"They're not together," the young Auror pointed out.

The blond snorted. "Yet."


	8. Chapter 8

Here's my advice for the day - when the weather forecast predicts rain, wear sensible shoes. That's the kind of lesson my mother should have taught me. Instead, she taught me Latin terms so I could write and fill prescriptions. Actually no, that's a pretty handy skill.

* * *

Chapter 7

Draco groaned as he adjusted his tie. "I can't believe I let you talk me into this," he called to Hermione who was holed up in the bathroom. "How did I let you talk me into this? It's a Narcissa Malfoy party. It's going to be an entire evening of her ignoring my father in hopes of finding us our soulmates."

The bathroom door opened and Hermione stepped out with her brown curls swept up in a French twist and a delicate layer of makeup covering her face. "It's the perfect plan really," she stated as she removed a midnight blue, strapless dress from the closet. "We're each other's dates. If we stick together, she can't fix us up with anyone else."

"When has this plan ever worked?" Draco asked as he zipped up the back of her dress.

She shrugged. "Never," she replied. "But there's a first time for everything, right?"

He laughed as he put the finishing touches on his dress robes and waited for Hermione to finish accessorizing. When she was, they linked arms and Apparated to Malfoy Manor. "Remember the plan," he muttered as his mother spotted them. "You and I are attached all night. Don't even think about trying to sneak off to the loo, because I will go in there with you."

Hermione snorted. "Wouldn't be the first time," she replied. "By the way, you really need to stop doing that. Especially when the door is clearly marked 'Ladies'."

Draco merely shrugged, not embarrassed by his actions in the slightest. "Things can happen in there," he stated. "You could slip and fall. Or drown. What if you drowned in a toilet?"

"When has that ever happened?" she asked, unable to hold back peals of laughter.

"I don't know," he replied. "All I know is I don't want it happening to you. You're a know-it-all control freak, but you're _my_ know-it-all control freak."

Narcissa, decked out in hunter green, jewel-encrusted robes, appeared before them. "Please don't let that be the nicest thing you've ever said to her," she stated with a look of motherly disapproval.

Draco scoffed. "Hardly," he said. "Just the other day I assured her she doesn't look like a mountain troll when she wakes up in the morning. _That's_ the nicest thing I've ever said to her."

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand so Narcissa wouldn't catch her amused smile. "I assure you, Mrs. Malfoy, he never has anything but kind words for me," she promised. "Now, I believe you promised us salmon puffs."

Turning on her heel, Narcissa led the pair into the already crowded ballroom. Pansy Parkinson was the first to approach and attempt to steal Hermione away. But Draco held steadfastly to her. "Do you really want to discuss nail polish and shoes with Pansy Parkinson?" he asked when Hermione tried to scold him for his rudeness. "Besides, no separating."

"Well, your father is on his way over here," she pointed out. "He's going to want to talk business because the two of you have never learned to communicate about other subjects. I, for one, have no interest in hearing about his master plan for you. Now, your mother doesn't like Pansy, so she won't bother me if I'm with her. We'll both be fine."

With that, she let go of his arm and joined Pansy as Lucius neared. "A little lovers' spat?" the older man inquired, handing his son a tumbler of firewhiskey. Draco rolled his eyes, but said no more. "Your mother invited the Greengrasses. I believe it's her hope to set you up with one of the daughters. Though, if you want my opinion, they're both daft, silly girls."

The younger man smiled. "I think that's the first time in the last decade that I've wanted your opinion," he remarked.

Lucius chuckled and turned his attention to their guests. "Octavius Pucey seems quite proud that his son is dating Miss Granger," he commented. "Where is Adrian tonight?"

Draco shrugged. "No idea. She dumped him," he replied. "I'm sure Mum will be happy that Hermione's back on the market. She takes too much pleasure in trying to marry us off."

"Perhaps if the two of you put a little more effort into it, your mother wouldn't feel the need to interfere," his father suggested.

"Please, we both know that she would," Draco said. "Couldn't you just hear her telling us that we're doing it wrong?"

Lucius patted his back and turned to leave. "Just let her have this for now," he advised. "It makes her happy."

"Yeah, well, not having her meddle in my love life makes me happy," Draco mumbled.

His father grinned as he spotted a colleague. "It'll all make sense in due time," he assured his son. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I see someone who requires my attention. Hermione will be missing your company if the look of sheer torture on her face is any indication."

Turning to his friend, Draco noticed that Hermione seemed more impatient than tortured as she talked to Pansy. He joined her then, slipping an arm around her tense shoulders. "Everything okay?" he whispered in her ear.

Hermione scowled. "She's hiding something, and it's driving me crazy," she replied.

Despite the roll of her dark eyes, Pansy continued to beam. "Fine, fine, I'll tell you now that Draco's here," she decided. She withdrew her arms from behind her back and held out her left hand. "Theo proposed. Just last night. Isn't it beautiful?"

Hermione admired the sapphire and diamond ring. "It's perfect," she replied with a smile. "Have you set a date?"

"We were thinking next spring," Pansy said. "Just keep April available."

"April what?" Draco asked.

Pansy shrugged. "Just April."

Soon, Pansy was called away by her mother, and Draco and Hermione were alone. "I am not going to a month long wedding," he stated. "I don't care that I've known her since birth, or that you two have managed to put aside past grudges and become friends. There is no way in hell I'm going to a month long wedding. A month long bachelor party maybe, but not a wedding."

"I'm pretty sure your liver would give out after a day," Hermione joked. "Besides, the wedding won't last a month. It's not a Quidditch game. She just wants to make sure we're available in April so we don't miss it."

"And who says I'm going?" he inquired, grabbing two champagne flutes from a passing tray.

Hermione grinned and turned to face him. "Me," she replied sweetly, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Because you love me and I'm your best friend. You wouldn't really abandon me, would you? Like Harry and Ron did after the war, letting me go back to school all alone."

Draco laughed loudly. "My god, woman, you know how to send a bloke on one hell of a guilt trip, don't you," he remarked.

"So you'll be my date then?" she asked, a hopeful look in her wide, brown eyes.

Sighing, he replied, "Yes."


	9. Chapter 9

I'm home sick today, but not sick enough not to post a new chapter! Is it possible to cough your way to a six-pack? Because I'm starting to get abs from this cold.

* * *

"I have a date," Draco lamented the second he stepped out of the fireplace. "My mother has arranged a date for me. Please tell me I don't have to go."

Hermione grinned. "Can I meet her?" she asked, deriving far too much pleasure from his misery. "I'll give her the talk. You know, like the one my father gave you the first time you met."

Draco seemed confused. "You want to know what her intentions are and if she shags on the first date?" he replied.

"That's exactly the kind of thing I want to know," she stated. "You think I want some hussy dating my best friend? Besides, if I have to sleep alone on Friday night, I'd like to know now."

Leaning over her, Draco kissed her forehead. "You know I'll never leave you," he murmured.

Sighing, she closed her book and glanced up at him. "We've had this conversation," she reminded him. "You might very well one day."

Sitting down beside her, he propped his feet up on the coffee table and closed his eyes. "No, never," he declared. "I don't care how many women my mother forces me to date. It's you and me forever, Granger."

She placed her head on his shoulder and took his hand. "Right, just you and me," she murmured. "So, who's the girl?"

Draco moved his arm, displacing her head for a moment, before draping it around her shoulders. "Does it bother you?" he wondered. Her only response was to shrug. "It's Daphne Greengrass's younger sister."

Hermione remembered Astoria Greengrass despite her being younger than them. Two years their junior, the youngest Greengrass sister was smart and beautiful with long dark hair and mischievous green eyes. Sorted into Slytherin, she was the epitome of the house.

"Where are you going to take her?" she asked.

He chuckled; the sound vibrating in her ear as she leaned against his chest. "Wherever my mother tells me to," he answered.

"You should take her to that new French restaurant in Diagon Alley," she suggested. "I hear it's quite romantic."

"Romantic isn't exactly what I'm going for," he told her. "If it were up to me, it would be a quick burger from that fast food place you keep telling me is detrimental to my health, and then I'd send her on home."

She laughed as she pictured the spoiled, pureblooded princess dining on fast food. "She and your mother would hate that," she warned him.

"Good," he muttered, holding her closer. "Maybe Mum will finally get the hint then."

They sat together quietly, wrapped around each other with their eyes closed. This was how Draco wanted to spend his nights. Over the years, Hermione Granger had become the most important person in his life, and he would do nothing to jeopardize their friendship. If that meant remaining single for the rest of his days, then so be it.

"Do you think you'll ever settle down?" she asked, interrupted the silence.

"Isn't that what we've done already?" he mused.

Sitting up, Hermione shook her head. "No, it isn't," she replied. "We're roommates, Draco. Settling down means getting married, having kids. Do you ever think you'll do that?"

Opening his eyes, he looked her way and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "No," was his simple answer. A frown pulled down the corners of her mouth as she averted her gaze. "Why, do you think you would?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. If I met the right person, yes," she replied. "Why don't you want to get married?"

Groaning, he knew he was in for a long conversation. "Look, you and I had very different childhoods," he began. "You had parents who loved each other and you. Meanwhile, I had parents. They had an arranged marriage that neither one was happy about. My mother never wanted children, and often told me she was glad I was a boy so she didn't have to have any more. Call me crazy, but growing up with a family like that doesn't exactly make me long for one of my own."

"And here I thought you'd feel the opposite," she mused. "See what it was you missed out on. Maybe have the chance to be the kind of father that Lucius wasn't."

"Say I do get married and start this wonderful family, where do you fit in?" Draco wondered, reaching for her hand just so he could feel her. "What if, heaven forbid, Astoria Greengrass is the one?"

Hermione gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm still here, Draco," she assured him with a kind smile. "And maybe if I don't find someone, I'll be your housekeeper or nanny. Do you think you'd still sleep in my bed every night?"

"Well, you'd need me to," he replied with faux pompousness. "How else would you sleep at night?"

"Poorly," she agreed before turning more serious. "But honestly, Draco, if you do meet 'the one' don't let me hold you back. We'll still be friends if we marry other people."

Sighing, he rose to his feet and held out his hand to her. "I don't want to talk about this any longer," he decided. "It's been a long day for the both of us. What do you say we get ready for bed, put in that movie about the girl with the funny face, and just spend the evening together. I promise if you let me eat popcorn in bed that I won't spill it all over the place like the last time."

She took his hand and allowed him to pull her up. "You do it every time," she reminded me. "And anyway, you said you hated Audrey Hepburn movies."

"Not all of them," he replied, leading her to their room. "Besides, I find that one to be s'wonderful."

"S'wonderful, but not s'marvelous?" she asked with a smile as he let go of her hand.

Shaking his head, Draco chuckled. "Who knew Hermione Granger was such a goof," he mused. "Go shower, would you?"

Nodding, she turned towards the bathroom, but stopped when she reached the door. "Draco," she said tentatively. "Just...don't fall in love with her."

Now alone, he pulled from his pocket the scrap of paper that contained Astoria's contact information. He'd been looking for a reason to cancel his date, and Hermione had given him the perfect excuse. She was jealous.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

"Rumor has it that Draco is taking Astoria Greengrass to dinner tomorrow night," Pansy said casually as she and Hermione looked through a rack of wedding robes. "Theo works with Daphne, you know, and she let it slip that her sister has had a crush on Draco since she was a first year."

"That's nice," Hermione mumbled as she pulled different robes only to put them all back. "These are all terrible. What about a muggle wedding dress?"

Pansy rolled her eyes. "If I want my parents to pay it, the whole wedding must be a traditional Pureblood affair," she replied. "Although, I do agree with you. These are awful. Madame Malkin's designs are usually much better. Maybe we should go to Paris next weekend. As my maid of honor, I'd really like your input on this."

Hermione stopped what she was doing and stared wide-eyed at her friend. "Your?" she asked dumbfoundedly. "Me? You really want me?"

Pansy giggled. "Of course I do," she replied. "There's no one I know who's more organized than you. I've been to your parties, so I know what an excellent party planner you are. Besides, my other friends will try to make it all about them, and I know that you won't. You've been a much better friend to me than most of them have."

"I'd love to be your maid of honor," Hermione declared as she hugged her. "Won't your parents object though? Me being muggleborn doesn't exactly conform to their Pureblood traditions."

Frowning as she pulled another dress from the rack, Pansy shook her head. "Draco approves of you, which makes you alright in their eyes," she replied. "Don't ask me why, but they've always been enamored by him. My mother's greatest ambition in life is to be Narcissa. My father was devastated when Draco and I broke up. It's very strange to watch your parents swoon over a boy you yourself barely like. Don't get me wrong. Draco's always been a good friend to me, but he wasn't as great as a boyfriend."

Hermione took this in silently. Since her short-lived relationship with Adrian had ended, she had begun to ponder the possibility of being with Draco. Ruining the best friendship she had had in many years stopped her from pursuing whatever feelings she had for him. On top of that, she feared the potential rejection at the hands of Draco. She wasn't sure she could go back to being friends if she confessed her feelings for him.

"He was really that bad a boyfriend?" she asked, hoping Pansy was exaggerating.

Sighing, she shrugged. "He had his good moments," Pansy recalled. "Maybe some of it was my fault. I was a bit clingy back then. There was this one time in second year. I remember being really sick, and I was confined to the hospital. Madam Pomphrey was very strict about nutrition, but Draco would sneak in sweets for me. And when my grandmother died the summer before sixth year, even as his entire world was turning upside, he let me cry on his shoulder. So, no, he wasn't always a bad boyfriend. In fact, to you, I think he'd be the best."

Hermione blushed, embarrassed that the true meaning of her question had been discovered. "It's not...we're not like that," she replied. "We're just friends. That's all."

Though she said nothing, Hermione knew Pansy disagreed. After another hour of pointless shopping, the two women parted ways without mentioning the subject of Draco again. Hermione returned to her flat to find it empty. It wasn't unusual for Draco to work on a Sunday, but he always told her when he was. Entering the bedroom, she found the closet door open and a mess inside.

Hermione was in the process of straightening up the closet when Draco returned home. "Oh, I would have taken care of that," he said upon entering the bedroom.

Turning her head, she glanced up at him and frowned. "Why are you dressed up?" she asked. "And why did you have to ransack our closet to do it?"

Draco toed off his shoes and loosened his tie. "I had a very fancy lunch," he told her. "No lunch should consist of seven courses. I can't even remember half of them. And, you'll be devastated to learn, dessert was terrible."

"Who did you have lunch with?" Hermione inquired, hanging up the last shirt that had been tossed on the floor.

He shrugged as he slipped off his dress shirt and placed it on the bed. "My mother and a few of her friends," he replied. "Although, it was a bit more like an ambush."

"How so?"

Sighing, he got to his feet and entered the adjoining bathroom. "Astoria Greengrass was there," he told her.

Hermione stood in the bathroom doorway, watching as he washed his face. "So, this was your mother's way of forcing you to date her," she said flatly.

Looking up, water dripping from his face, Draco nodded. "She was a nightmare," he shared, turning off the faucet. "She sent back each course because it wasn't up to her standards. Would you believe that she complained that the soup was too hot? I wouldn't be surprised if the waiter spit in each order he brought back."

Hermione laughed as she backed away from the bathroom. Whatever panic she felt over Draco's potential relationship was alleviated. "I'm sorry your afternoon was so bad," she said, folding his shirt before dropping it in the hamper. "I had to go shopping with Pansy."

Draco laughed. "Fine, you win," he replied. "That actually would have been a good way to punish the Death Eaters. I'll bet my father would have gone mad."

"Perhaps a year in Azkaban was better for his sanity," Hermione commented. "He did come away nicer this time around. I don't think he's called me a mudblood once. Well, not to my face."

Draco winced at the sound of the word he hadn't used in years. "I better not hear him say it," he muttered angrily. It had been a source of contention between father and son when Draco first announced that he had befriended Hermione.

"Don't worry. He doesn't," she assured him. "He's been nothing but nice to me. Listen, since we've both had less than stellar afternoons, what do you say we do something fun this evening?"

"What did you have in mind?" he asked, redressing in something more comfortable.

Hermione shrugged. "You, me, take out, a large purse full of candy, and the movie theater?" she suggested.

Smiling, he nodded. "It's a date."


	11. Chapter 11

I wish I had a funny story to tell you today, but I don't. At least it's Friday!

* * *

Chapter 10

"It's strange, isn't it?" Mrs. Granger asked as Hermione and Draco approached the house. "The way they act. It's almost as if they-"

"Helen," Robert Granger interjected. "Leave the kids alone. Hermione obviously has a good reason for keeping things platonic with that boy. Besides, with the way he treated her, I don't blame her for keeping him at arm's length."

Turning away from the window, she smiled at her husband. "And here I thought you'd started to warm to him," she mused. "Just last week, wasn't you who was explaining the rules of cricket to him? And I'm sure Hermione will back me up on this - didn't you invite him to a game?"

Robert shrugged and opened the door as the young couple approached. "Kids," he greeted them. In turn, Hermione rolled her eyes and reminded him that they were no longer kids. "Stop fighting it. You'll always be a kid to me," he murmured, hugging his daughter.

"Mr. Granger, thanks for having me," Draco said, extending his hand.

"Oh, enough of that," Helen said, hugging him. "Hermione said you cancelled plans so you could join us tonight."

Draco shook his head. "Mrs. Granger, you know Monday night dinner is a top priority," he replied. "Other plans can be rescheduled. Or not. In this case, I'm leaning toward not."

"Narcissa is playing matchmaker again," Hermione informed her mother.

Helen smiled. "Is she no longer setting her sights on you, Hermione?"

Robert led them to the dining room table and pulled out his wife's chair. "For the time being, she's focused on her baby boy," Hermione replied, pinching Draco's cheek. "And thank goodness for that. Her taste in men is terrible."

"Well, I see no reason for either one of you to start settling down," Robert stated as he scooped mashed potatoes onto his plate. Before meeting them, Draco had assumed Hermione's looks came from her mother, when in fact, she was the female version of her father. They had the same brown eyes and curly hair, though Robert wore his close cropped. Helen, though, did lend her smile to her only child. "For goodness sake, you're still in your early twenties. You've no business marrying so young."

The young pair exchanged a grin and made their plates. "So, Dad, how's business?" Hermione asked.

After dessert and coffee, they said their goodnights to Hermione's parents and returned home. "You know," Draco said as he sat down on the sofa, "even though your father hates me, going to Monday night dinner is one of my favorite things that we do together."

"He doesn't hate you," she replied, curling up next to him. "He's just protective. After all the things I've told them about you, it's a miracle he didn't punch you when the two of you first met."

Draco laughed. "Maybe he just leaves the physical abuse up to you," he suggested, which earned him a punch to the arm. "That's exactly what I'm talking about. Physical abuse."

"Why do you put up with me then?" she wondered.

"Because I love you," was his simple reply.

Hermione sat up, her teeth nervously working her bottom lip. "Um, do you think...when you say that you love me, that you might ever mean as more than friends?" she asked. He was so stunned by her question, that for a moment Draco found it hard to speak. Hermione, however, interpreted his silence as rejection. Getting up, she smiled unconvincingly. "No, forget I asked. It was stupid. I think I'm going to go to bed."

Standing, he stopped her from leaving. "Wait a minute," he said. "I just, I wasn't expecting that. I just need a moment to wrap my mind around it."

She nodded. "Okay," she whispered. "I mean, you don't have to answer right now. Take your time."

"I've thought about it," he confessed. "More than once, in fact. Pansy and I started as friends before we dated, and it took a long time for us to be friends again. I don't want that to happen to us. I'm not saying it will, or that we would even break up. I'm just trying to think realistically here."

"I understand," she replied. "We really don't have to talk about this."

Draco shook his head. "Yes, we do," he countered. "It's on your mind, so we're going to talk about it."

Nodding, she returned to the sofa and sat down. "So, where do we start?"

He shrugged as he took a seat beside her. "I have no idea," he admitted. "I guess the first question to answer is do we want to be more than friends. To which I would have to say yes."

"Really?" Hermione asked, afraid to be too happy. Taking her hand, Draco nodded. "Are you just saying that so your mum will stop trying to fix you up?"

Draco laughed as he assured her that wasn't the reason. "No, I just...you're my best friend, and whenever we talk about the future, I know I want you to be a part of mine," he replied. "I don't want to do this because it's convenient. I want to be with you because it's what we want."

"It's definitely what I want," she confirmed.

He groaned. "Why am I sensing a but?"

"Because there is one," she replied. "I'm worried about what would happen if we broke up. You said so yourself that it took a long time for you and Pansy to become friends again. I don't want to wait years for you to talk to me again. So, promise me that if we break up, we'll go right back to the way things are now. You'll still hold me at night when the bad dreams come."

Draco sighed. "I don't know that that's a promise I can keep, but I swear I'll try my hardest," he vowed. "Unfortunately, I think that'll have to be enough."

Hermione nodded. "You might be right," she agreed. "The question now, though, is it worth risking our friendship?"

He took a moment to consider her question before answering. "I think it is," he replied. "It's what we both want, and I'm willing to work as hard as I can to be a good boyfriend to you. I love you, Hermione. I don't really know what else to say."

Leaning over, she kissed his cheek. "I love you too," she replied, knowing that this would work.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

"Remind me again why we aren't telling anyone?" Draco asked as Hermione slipped her hand out of his.

They reached Pansy's front door and Hermione knocked. "Do you really want to spend the entire evening listening to 'I told you so' and 'what took you so long?'?" she inquired. "Because _I_ would really like to avoid that."

"Because 'when will you two crazy kids finally get together?' hasn't gotten annoying?" he countered.

Hermione sighed. "I just don't want Pansy and Theo's engagement party to be our coming out event," she replied.

"Well, can I at least hold your hand?" He asked.

She smiled and took his hand. "Sure. No one would find that strange anyway," she told him. "You never let go of me at these things. I seem to recall you once clutching my purse strap when my hands were full."

Pansy finally opened the door and greeted them before ushering them inside. "Wouldn't want to lose you," he murmured close to her ear. "Crowd like this, you could easily slip away from me."

"We wouldn't want that now, would we?" she replied with an ear-to-ear grin.

"Oh stop all that whispered, the two of you," Pansy admonished. "Get a drink, have some food, mingle. Hermione, Cormac McLaggen is here, so do your best to avoid him. Oh, and Draco, I'm really sorry, but I was forced to invite Astoria. Please don't hate me."

He pressed a kiss to her cheek to let her know there were no hard feelings. "We'll just have to stay close, make everyone think we're together," he decided.

Pansy rolled her eyes. "Please. No one would believe that after all this time," she replied. "We all know you two too well to fall for that act."

When she excused herself, Hermione frowned. "We can't even convince her," she lamented. "I once convinced her that you only have eight toes. And that was after seeing you at the beach."

"And why would you tell her that?" he wondered.

Hermione shrugged. "Sunstroke?" she offered.

"Sounds more like boredom," he replied with a laugh as they stepped up to the bar. "White wine for the lady, and I'll have a scotch neat."

"Well, well, never thought I'd see the day Hermione Granger was reduced to Death Eater arm candy," a snide, pompous voice said behind them. "You don't allow her to order her own drink?"

Draco glanced back over his shoulder briefly to find Cormac behind them before returning his attention to the bartender. Dropping a few coins in the tip jar, he thanked him, and began to lead Hermione away. "Did I tell you Potter's thinking about getting a dog?" he asked her as if Cormac McLaggen didn't exist.

"You don't say," she replied. "Did he say what breed? I could picture him with something big. A German Shepard perhaps."

Laughing, he looked covertly behind him to see that McLaggen had given up. "Do you find it odd that he's had a crush on you all this time?" Draco wondered.

Hermione shrugged as she sipped her wine. "No odder than you having one on me."

"I don't have a crush on you," Draco replied. "If anyone has a crush it's you."

"That's probably true," she agreed. "But don't you dare pretend that this is a one way street. I know you've been pining for me for years. Perhaps that's why you treated me so horribly when we were younger."

He wore a look of confusion as he navigated their way through the crowded ballroom. "I'm not sure I understand that logic," he said when they found a less occupied area of the house.

Hermione shrugged as she sipped her drink. "My mum always told me that boys tend to tease the girls they like because they either don't know how to express the feeling or to hide it," she explained. Given the way we turned out, I'm choosing to view the name calling and hex throwing as you having a crush on me."

"Hey, if that's what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night," he joked, leading her onto the balcony.

She turned to face him as they leaned against the railing. "I only need _you_ to sleep at night," she murmured.

Looking around, he made sure they were alone before wrapping his arms around her waist. "So, do you still think this is a good idea?" he asked. "You and me?"

Hermione considered his question for a moment as she moved a stray lock of blond hair from his eyes. "I think it's probably the best idea you've ever had," she decided. "Much better than the idea you had to use your wand to change the channels, and you blew the telly up instead."

Draco laughed loudly as he pulled her closer. "You could have warned me that magic and muggle technology don't mix," he pointed out.

"I did," she replied with a giggle. "Many, many times."

"If I kiss you, will you stop pointing out my inadequacies?" he wondered. Hermione shrugged and offered to let him try. Leaning in, he gently brushed his lips against hers before pulling back. "Well?"

She pondered his question for a moment. "Well, it was a bit reminiscent of my first kiss with Jimmy Martin. We were five."

Draco smirked. "My girlfriend, the trollop," he mused. "Did it happen on the playground?"

Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but they were quickly interrupted. "What are the two of you doing out here?" Pansy demanded. "Hermione, you're the maid of honor. You should be inside. Honestly, Draco, I will never understand why she befriended you. There are other people in the world besides you."

Promising to be right in, they waited for Pansy to return to the party. "Merlin, she hates me," Draco mused. "Imagine if she knew we were a couple."

Pulling away, Hermione sighed as she attempted to tame her windblown hair. "She doesn't hate you," she replied. "She just wants this night to be perfect. Apparently, you are single handedly ruining it."

He pulled her back into his arms, and covered her lips with his own. Hermione let out a surprised moan when his tongue traced the seam of her lips, and she willingly opened them. Once more, he ended the kiss too quickly. "Better?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, unable to answer verbally. "I should go back in now," she replied. "You're really good at that, by the way. Just wanted you to know."

"Go," he said with a smile. "I'll be right in." He hung back while Hermione entered the house, and waited. "How long were you watching us?"

Adrian Pucey stepped outside and stood beside his friend. "Not long," he replied. "How long have the two of you been...doing that?"

One shoulder lifted and fell. "Not long," Draco answered.

Adrian scoffed. "She said she didn't have feelings for you. That the two of you were just friends," he remarked. "I should have known this would happen when you moved in with her."

"It was always going to happen, whether we lived together or not," Draco stated. "You should have realized that and left her alone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll join my girlfriend inside."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12

"How did I not see this coming?" Pansy bemoaned as she stepped out of the floo and into Hermione's flat. Draco was seated on the sofa with the newspaper and a cup of coffee, but Pansy paid him no mind. "Merlin, Hermione, how could you not tell me?"

He chuckled as he continued to read. "You'll be interested to know she's not in the room," he commented.

But Pansy continued on. "Here I thought we were best friends," she said. "Best friends tell each other things. Especially when one of them is making the mistake of dating Draco Malfoy."

"Here I thought I was her best friend," Draco interjected, though he seemed to only be talking to himself. "And I hardly think I'm a mistake."

"The fact that I had to find out from Adrian of all people is what hurts the most," she continued. "Honestly, I thought our friendship was stronger than that. You're my maid of honor, for Merlin's sake!"

Draco now realized he needed to make his presence known. Setting aside the paper, he stood up and grasped her shoulders. "What do you mean you found out from Adrian?" he asked.

"Oh, Draco, hi," she said sheepishly as a blush colored her cheeks. "Been here long?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I do live here," he replied. "And don't worry, I'm not mad at you for what you said when you thought I was Hermione. Although, I am a bit insulted you thought I was a girl. Back to my question now."

Pansy sighed as she told him about the conversation the two had shared after the engagement party. Adrian had been drunk and she forced him to spend the night rather than allow him to Apparate home. "He said he saw the two of you kissing and you were an arse to him about it," she stated.

Draco shrugged and let her go. Reclaiming his seat, he picked up the paper once more and continued to read. "With the way he treated her the last time they spoke, he deserved whatever rude behavior I elicited," he stated.

Sighing, Pansy sat down beside him and took a sip of his coffee. "She told me about that," she muttered. "But, Draco, you and Ade have been friends for years. He really liked Hermione, and you rubbing your relationship in his face really hurt him. Don't you think the two of you can put this behind you?"

He put the paper down once more and stared at the woman beside him. "I have no problem with Pucey," he stated. "I do have a problem with the way he treated Hermione. She's my best friend, Pans. After everything she's been through, everything we did to her, she doesn't deserve to be treated that way."

Pansy couldn't help but agree. It was only through her friendship with Draco that Pansy decided Hermione was worth more than her disdain. Hermione had proven time and again that she was a loyal friend, not just to Draco, but to his groups of friends as well. While they had been cold and standoffish towards her, Hermione did her best to fit in. It took months, but Pansy finally accepted her. While Blaise Zabini, Adrian, Theo, and Marcus Flint had only required one or two get togethers to accept her, Pansy was less enthused about a muggleborn in their group. It was over fruit flavored drinks and stale pretzels that they bonded. Hermione asked what it would take to change Pansy's mind about her. She had been stunned by the bluntness, and merely shook her head.

"Do you remember what I told her when she asked me that?" Pansy wondered. Draco shrugged and shook his head. "I remember telling her that that was enough. That prim, proper, I'm better than you act I thought she put on was gone. She just wanted to be one of us."

Draco chuckled. "And that was enough for you?" he asked. "Doesn't sound like you."

She shrugged. "Okay, and maybe I was a bit lonely too," she said. "I was the only girl in the group until she came along, and it was nice to have a friend who didn't talk about Quidditch."

"Yeah, she really hates it," Draco confirmed with a laugh. "You know what she does like though? Me."

Pansy rolled her eyes as she gave his chest a back-handed slap. "I will never understand it," she said. "Hermione's smarter than this. I dated you. I know how little you have to offer."

Draco scoffed, insulted by her comment. "There's nothing _little_ about me, Pansy," he replied. "And you're practically a married woman. I'd thank you to stop having such filthy thoughts about me."

Rolling her eyes, Pansy got to her feet. "Oh please. You know I don't even like you," she replied in a less than convincing manner. "Tell Hermione I stopped by, will you?"

"She'll be back soon," he informed her. "We were out of milk, so she ran out to get more. It's just around the corner."

Shaking her head, she inched closer and closer to the fireplace. "No, it's fine. I'll just come back later," she decided as she grabbed a handful of floo powder from the small pot on the mantel. "Or better yet - ask her to meet me in the Alley. I think I found a dress, and I'd really like her opinion."

Wearing an amused grin, he asked, "You really think Hermione's the one to give an opinion on that? If there's one thing she hates more than Quidditich, it's shopping." Pansy said his name with an impatient huff. "Okay, fine. I'll tell her. Is noon alright?"

Pansy nodded, stepped into the fireplace, and left. Minutes later, Hermione returned home. "Why do you look amused?" she asked.

Draco shrugged. "Parkinson stopped by to see you," he reported. "She was acting a bit strange."

Groceries forgotten, Hermione sat down beside him. "Strange how?" she wondered.

"Just strange," he replied. "I don't know how to describe it. She was all over the place - our relationship, my friendship with Adrian, your friendship with her. I think the stress of planning this wedding is getting to her. She's gone loopy. I'm pretty sure she thought I was you."

Hermione shook her head. "That doesn't sound like her," she muttered. "She's been planning her dream wedding since she was a little girl. She's been completely calm around me."

"Must be something else then," he wagered.

"You don't...do you think something is going on between her and Theo?" she asked nervously. "Something bad?"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 13

Hermione made it her mission to find out what was wrong with Pansy. For days, she analyzed her behavior and every conversation they had. She seemed happy, Hermione noted, but distracted. "So, what are we doing today?" she asked as the pair strolled through Diagon Alley.

Pansy shrugged. "I'm in the mood for a girls' day," she decided. "Let's just shop and eat and have an entire day where we don't think about the wedding."

"Is everything okay?" Hermione asked, genuinely concerned about her friend's change in behavior.

"Sure, why?" Pansy wondered as she entered the bookshop.

Hermione followed her inside and watched as she browsed the new releases. "It's just," she started with a sigh, "for weeks, it's been all about the wedding. It's all you've talked about. Now, suddenly, it doesn't seem to be a priority. I don't want to read too much into it, but it seems odd to me."

Picking up a romance novel, Pansy began to read the description. "I'm just tired of it, alright?" she replied. "Theo's always at work, and when he is home, he has no interest in helping me. I just want a break."

Nodding, she agreed. "Okay, then let's shop," Hermione said. "I could use some new shoes anyhow."

Hours later, arms loaded down with bags, Hermione returned home. "This seems excessive," Draco commented when he greeted her at the door. "Is this all for the wedding?"

Hermione dropped the bags by the door and sat down. "I thought if I agreed to shopping she would tell me what's wrong," she stated, closing her eyes.

"And?" Draco asked. "Did she?"

"All I got out of today was four pairs of shoes, two of which are identical except for the color," she stated. "Pansy also insisted on buying me three new handbags and six blouses. I hate her."

Sitting down on the coffee table, he slipped her shoes off and massaged her aching feet. "No, you don't," he replied as she groaned.

"Can't I pretend to, just for a minute?" she asked.

Chuckling, he granted her the permission she so desperately sought. "Well, while you were being dragged to every shop in the known word, I had lunch with Adrian," he informed her. She shot him an incredulous look as she awaited the details. "It was extremely awkward, but I think we're heading in the right direction."

"Did I come up?" she wondered.

"The whole conversation was about you," Draco replied, switching to her other foot. "I apologized for acting like a git and promised not to flaunt our relationship around him. He, in turn, said he would like to talk to you, try to clear the air after your fight. Told me he misses you."

"How nice," she muttered. They remained silent for a few minutes, until Hermione could no longer stand the quiet. "Do you think I should do it?"

He let go of her feet, but let them rest on his lap. "I'm not going to make that decision for you," Draco said. "If talking to him is something you want to do, then I encourage it. But I'm not going to push you one way or the other."

"Well, that's unhelpful," she remarked, poking his stomach with her toes. "You're supposed to be jealous and controlling."

Moving her feet to the coffee table, he sat beside her and draped his arm around her shoulders. "Would that really make a difference?" he wondered. "If I did that and told you not to go, you'd go anyway just to spite me. If you want, I'll go with you to talk to him."

Sighing, she told him no. "I think I have to do this on my own. I don't want him to feel ambushed."

"You know you don't have to do this though," he pointed out. "I mean, it's not like the two of you had a relationship. It was a couple of dates."

"We were friends before this," she reminded him. "I don't want to be the reason there's tension in the group."

Draco said nothing for a long while as he debated whether or not to vocalize his latest concern. The fear of her answer prevented his asking, but he needed to know. "Are you, at all, afraid of that happening to us?" he wondered. "That things won't go back to the way they were before if we break up?"

Hermione took her time to consider his question before answering. "A bit," she confessed. "But you knew that. You're too important to me, Draco. I think our break up would have to be really terrible for us not to maintain our friendship afterwards."

"Like cheating?" he guessed.

"Or you setting fire to my books," she teased in hopes of lightening the mood.

But Draco wasn't amused. "I'm being serious," he stated. "I think we should talk about this now. Because our definitions of terrible might not be the same."

"You already know mine," she assured him. "We don't have to make a list of egregious actions that would ruin our relationship. Besides, what happened with Adrian wouldn't happen to us. You and I are rock solid, Draco. Nothing can come between us."

Breathing a sigh of relief, he kissed her temple and nodded. "That's really good to hear," he said. "You know we have to tell my parents about this, right?"

Hermione groaned. "Must we?" she asked. "Your mother is not going to be happy."

Draco chuckled. "Why wouldn't she be happy?" he wondered. "We found love."

"Yes, _without_ her," she replied. "It's going to kill her, Draco. She lives to play matchmaker. You've essentially ended your mother's life. Hope you're happy."

"That's a bit dramatic," he called after her as she left the living room. When she didn't reply, he followed her to the kitchen and took a seat on the counter.

"That was dramatic?" she asked, rummaging through the refrigerator. "That was a mere fraction of level of hysteria we're in for when you tell your parents."

Draco couldn't disagree. "Wait, you mean when _we_ tell them," he amended.

Smiling, Hermione shook her head. "No, sorry. This one is all you," she replied. "Besides, I have to talk Adrian that night. And yes, I realize you haven't picked a night, but that's going to be the night we talk."

He sighed as he rested his head against the cabinets. "And there's nothing I can do to change your mind?" he asked.

Placing her hands on his knees, Hermione stepped between his legs. "Not a thing," she said with a kiss.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 14

Hermione's foot tapped nervously against the table leg as she waited for Adrian to arrive. "Okay, no more coffee for you," he commented when he took a seat across from her. Nervously, she blushed and ducked her head so he wouldn't notice. "I'm only kidding. You look nice, by the way. Where's Draco tonight?"

"Could we, um, maybe not talk about him right now?" she requested. "It's hard enough to apologize for what I did without bringing up Draco."

Signalling the waiter, Adrian asked for a glass of water. "You don't need to apologize," he told her after receiving his beverage. "It seems like everyone could see it but the two of you. I knew that you and Draco were supposed to be together. I don't know, maybe I was just jealous."

Hermione laughed. "Jealous of us?" she asked. "I'm a neurotic control freak who can never be wrong, and Draco's...well, Draco. Why would you be jealous of that?"

Adrian shrugged as he looked around the small restaurant. Most of the tables were occupied by couples. "Because of this," he said, discreetly pointing to the other diners. "Even as friends, the two of you had this. It's just...nice to know that you've got someone the way the two of you have each other. I guess a part of me just wants that."

Reaching across the table, she took his hand. "You'll find it," she promised. "And who knows, maybe if dinner with the Malfoys doesn't go well for Draco tonight and his mother kills him, I might give you another shot."

000000000

Pulling a small flask from his pocket, Draco took a long drink and stepped into the floo. He dreaded seeing his parents. Nothing good ever came from discussing his love life with his mother, and he was sure he was in for a lecture tonight. Entering their sitting room, he felt his heart pound and his palm begin to sweat. "Mum, Father," he greeted them.

Narcissa frowned. "Where's Hermione?" she inquired.

Taking a seat, Draco rolled his eyes. "It's good to see you too. I'm fine, thanks. How are the ladies at the club?" he replied sarcastically. "Honestly, Mum. You act like she's your child."

Lucius chuckled as he poured a drink for his son. "One day you'll accept the fact that your mother loves Hermione more," he said. "For now, just drink."

Draco did as instructed, but the alcohol had no effect on his nerves. "So, I think I should just tell you this now before I completely lose my nerve," he decided. Narcissa held her breath as she waited for him to continue. "Hermione and I are, uh, we're dating. We're in a relationship now."

Lucius grinned. "Well, it's about time," he replied jovially. Whether his elation was from the news or the drink, Draco wasn't sure. Narcissa didn't seem as excited as she set down her drink and left the room.

"I should be concerned about that, shouldn't I?" Draco asked. Lucius waved off the question and refilled their glasses. "It's funny, Hermione really is always right. She told me Mum wouldn't be happy."

The older wizard smirked. "You don't get it, do you?" he commented. The frown Draco wore was enough to say no. "Your mother wanted to be involved. She didn't want to find out about your relationship this way. You might as well have told her that you bought new trousers. Where is Hermione, by the way?"

"Dinner with Pucey," he mumbled.

"What?" Narcissa asked when she returned. Nervously, Draco repeated himself. "You don't see a problem with that? Not two minutes ago, you and Hermione were in a relationship. Now she's dining with other men while you're here. Honestly, Draco, I thought you were smarter than that."

His anxiety turned to anger as he stood to confront his mother. "And two minutes ago you were storming out of the room," he replied. "You've hinted for years that you don't think I'm good enough for her, and that little display confirmed it."

"Draco," Lucius said with a warning tone.

Turning to face his father, Draco shook his head. "No, don't 'Draco' me," he yelled. "I expected my parents to be happy for me because Hermione and I are happy together. If you can't be, then I'm leaving. I'll talk to you again when you decide to accept this."

Stepping into the fireplace, he left in the green flames and returned home. Taking a seat on the sofa, he waited for Hermione, and allowed his anger to brew. An hour later when she did come home, his temper was in full force. "Why are you sitting in the dark?" she wondered, oblivious to his mood.

Reaching over, he snapped on the lamp and glared at her. "Where have you been?" he inquired.

Brows furrowed, she reminded him that he knew about her dinner with Adrian. "It wasn't bad actually," she told him. "We talked and cleared the air, and I think we're well on our way to being friends again. Shouldn't you be at the Manor?"

Draco scoffed. "Well, I'm so glad to hear that you had a good night," he replied bitingly.

Taking a seat beside him, Hermione reached for his hand, but he kept his arms crossed over his chest. "What happened with your parents?" she asked. "They weren't upset, were they?"

"That you weren't there? Absolutely," he muttered. "Did you really think it was a good idea to go out without another man while I broke the news of our relationship to them? Did it not occur to you that that might not look good?"

"Honestly, no, it hadn't," she replied, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry if they weren't happy."

Getting to his feet, he shook his head. "It's not just that," he admitted, leaning against the mantel. He didn't speak again. Hermione moved from the couch to stand behind him, and he felt her arms slowly encircle his waist. "I think a little part of me was jealous that you were with Adrian tonight."

Smiling, she kissed his back through his shirt. "You have nothing to be jealous of," she promised. "Adrian is nothing more than a friend."

Turning around, Draco frowned. "There was a time when you said the same about me," he reminded her.

Smiling, she rose up to the tips of her toes and kissed him. "But you're different," she explained. "You're Draco Malfoy. Didn't you once tell me that you could make any girl swoon? Sure, you were drunk when you said it, but you weren't wrong."

"I make you swoon?" he asked incredulously.

Hermione nodded. "I've never had a friend who takes care of me the way you do," she said. "I'm not going to trade that in to be with Adrian Pucey. It doesn't matter to me what label we put on it. You're mine, Draco Malfoy."

Grinning, he wrapped his arms around her. "Does that make you mine as well?" he asked.

"Yes, I think it does."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 15

Draco entered Theo's office and stared in horror. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded.

Startled, the kissing, half naked couple separated. "Drake," Theo said, surprised by the intrusion.

"Daphne," Draco said pointedly, staring at Theo's blonde counterpart. "You don't look a thing like Pansy."

When she was finished rearranging her clothes, Daphne left the office with her head down. The two men stared at each other; Draco angrily with crossed arms and Theo defeatedly with a guilty expression. "Drake," Theo began, but was quickly cut off.

"Is it safe to assume your fiancee doesn't know about this?" he asked. "Or is this the explanation for her odd behavior lately?"

Sighing, Theo buttoned his shirt and sat down. "She hasn't said it, but I think she knows," he mumbled.

Taking a deep breath, Draco hoped he could remain calm long enough to get all the answers he needed. "How long?" he wondered.

Theo seemed to look anywhere but at Draco. "A few months," he admitted.

"So, before you proposed to Pansy," Draco said. "I've heard enough, and I've lost my appetite. See you around."

Returning to work, he stormed into Hermione's office and slammed the door shut. "What's got you in such a foul mood now?" she asked without bothering to look up. Fuming, he paced as he told her what he had just learned. Wand in hand, Hermione rose and walked passed him. "I'll kill him."

Draco grabbed her arm and could feel the angry magic coursing beneath her skin. "Wait, don't you think that should be Pansy's job?" he asked.

Scowling, she lowered her wand. "Does Pansy even know?" she wondered. "Is that why she's been acting the way she has?"

A shrug was his only response. "I don't know, but we shouldn't be the ones to tell her," he replied. "This is Nott's mess. Let him deal with it."

"And how do you think she'll take it when she finds out that we know?" Hermione demanded.

Sighing, he let go of her arm and sat down. "There's no easy way to handle this," he realized. "We tell her and she hates us for breaking the news, or we keep it to ourselves and she hates us for not telling her."

"She has the right to know about this," Hermione replied. "She's engaged to him. I know I would want to know if my fiance was sleeping with other women."

Beckoning her to him, Draco took her hand and guided her to his lap. "I would never do that to you," he vowed.

"You can't promise that," she murmured.

Draco shook his head. "Yes, I can," he replied insistently. "You're it for me."

She held back a grin, knowing now wasn't the time for declarations of love. "Do you think Theo will tell her?" she wondered.

Frowning, he shook his head. "I really don't think he will," he said sadly. "It's been going on for months. Honestly, I don't think he'll say anything unless she catches him."

"Bloody coward," she muttered. "I'm supposed to have lunch with her today. Do you think I should cancel? I don't know that I can keep this from her."

"So, what? We avoid her forever?" Draco wondered.

Hermione shrugged. "Or until she finds out," she added. "Merlin, she doesn't deserve this. Did he say why? Why would someone have an affair and still propose to their girlfriend?"

"No idea," he murmured, kissing her forehead. "I know she can be a pain, but no one deserves that."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. There were times when Pansy annoyed her, but despite her more annoying quirks, Pansy Parkinson had been a good friend. She became the person Hermione went to when times with Draco became too frustrating. Pansy was the one female friend she had, and Hermione couldn't stand to lose her.

As they sat together in blissful harmony, silently communicating their love for one another, Pansy entered the Ministry. All who saw her could see the signs of her distress - bloodshot blue eyes, tear tracks on her cheeks, rumpled clothing. She paid all around her no mind as she pushed her way to the lifts and forced her way into an overly crowded car. The Ministry employees around her muttered about rudeness, but Pansy ignored them. There were bigger, more important things on her mind than their comfort.

Exiting on the eighth floor, she made her way to Hermione's office and burst in. Startled by the intrusion, Hermione and Draco leapt to their feet and glanced at her. "Pansy, hi," Hermione greeted her, her voice a tad too high to sound nonchalant. "What's the matter?"

Draco stepped around his girlfriend. "Have you been crying?" he asked, swiping his thumb over her wet cheek.

Pansy pushed his hand away and glared angrily. "It's over," she said as a fresh wave of tears claimed her. "Everything. It's just...over."

"What is?" Hermione asked, guiding her to a chair. She turned to Draco and whispered, "Maybe you should go."

Draco nodded, ready to leave, but Pansy stopped him. "No, I want Draco to hear this too," she stated. He sat down beside her as Hermione handed her a tissue, and they waited for their friend to continue. "I'm leaving Theo."

Hermione's heart pounded inside her chest. "What happened?" she asked as Draco reached for Pansy's hand.

Taking a deep breath, she told them. "He's been sleeping with Daphne Greengrass. I've also heard rumors that he and Romilda Vane had a brief affair as well. When I told my parents that the engagement was off, my mother told me to stick it out. That it's common for Pureblood men to keep mistresses on the side."

"No, it's not," Draco murmured, looking at Hermione.

Pansy nodded. "I didn't think it was," she replied, choking back a sob. "When, um, when I told them why I had to do it, that I'm pregnant, they gave me two choices - marry Theo and tolerate the affairs, or leave him and be cut off. I just...I know my father cheated on my mother, and I know how hurt she was by it, even if she pretended that she wasn't. But I can't do that. I can't marry someone who thinks I'm not enough for him. Leaving him means I have no place to live, no money. I don't know what I'm going to do."

Draco gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "You'll stay with us," he decided.


	17. Chapter 17

I can't shake this feeling that at least a couple of people are going to be mad at me when they finish reading this chapter. You'll see why.

* * *

Chapter 16

With the help of a few minor extensions charms, a room had been created for Pansy. And that room was where she spent all of her time. "I'm worried," Hermione said one morning as she made pancakes. "She hasn't left that room in two weeks except to use the bathroom. Has she talked to you? Because other than an 'oh, hi' one night when we bumped into each other, she hasn't said a word to me."

"She said sorry to me the other day when she walked in on me getting out of the shower," Draco recalled. "She's since learned to knock."

Hermione scowled as she plated the last batch of pancakes and shut off the stove. "That's exactly what any girlfriend wants to hear," she muttered. "Why don't you take some breakfast in to Pansy, and try to keep your pants on."

He took the plate and kissed her cheek. "The only girl I intentionally let see me pantsless is you," he assured her.

"Keep it that way," she said as he left the kitchen. Hermione heard a knock at the front door and abandoned her own breakfast to answer it. When she opened the door and found Theodore Nott on the other side, she slammed it shut and returned to the kitchen.

"At least she eats," Draco commented when he joined her. "Who was at the door?"

Hermione pursed her lips as if she had tasted something sour. "Nott," she replied. "I may have slammed the door in his face. Living with you has ruined whatever manners I previously possessed."

Laughing, he continued to eat while holding her hand. "Do you think he'll come back?"

"He better not," she muttered, pushing her plate away. "I'm going to work."

Draco held onto her hand as she stood. "Hey, what's going on with them - it's not going to happen with us," he assured her. "We're solid, Hermione."

Sighing, she glanced down at his hand. "So were they," Hermione replied. "I'll see you at work."

Letting her go, Draco watched her leave. After the floo activated, he heard a door open and close. Pansy entered the kitchen and sat down across from him. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know me being here is causing problems."

Draco shook his head. "It's not your fault," he promised. "What Theo did was wrong. Hermione isn't upset with you."

"Why couldn't you be this way when we dated?" Pansy wondered with a small smile.

Getting up from the table, he shrugged. "Maybe I just grew up," he suggested.

"No, I think it was Hermione," she decided. "You changed when the two of you became friends. She made you better."

"No one has ever had the faith in me that she does," Draco said.

Pansy smiled as she watched her first love move around the small kitchen. There had been a time, many times in fact, when she expected him to be hers. His friendship with Hermione had thrown a wrench in her plans for a reunion. The closer the pair became, the farther out Pansy was pushed. Proving to Draco that she could get along with Hermione seemed to be the only way to stay in his life. That she came out of it with a genuine friendship was merely an added bonus.

"I'm happy that you have her," she said, twisting a piece of hair around her finger.

Draco turned to face her, eyebrows raised. "But?" he inquired. "I know that hair twirl. It's how I know you're about to do something particularly Slytherin-like."

Rolling her eyes, Pansy shook her head as she rose from her seat. "Oh please," she muttered. "There's no but. You know I love Hermione. I was just saying that I'm happy for the two of you. I can't imagine you would change so much for any other woman."

He shrugged as he poured himself another cup of coffee. "You know there's no saying no to Hermione Granger," he joked. "I don't know. I wanted to be better for her."

Looking down at her bare feet, Pansy considered his words. "I wish," she started, but soon stopped. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. "I wish, just once, that someone loved me that way. You were always a jerk to me. Theo cheated. Blaise...does Blaise really count? I only snogged him to make you jealous."

"That just seemed so unfair to him," Draco commented. "He really liked you, and I think you broke his heart."

"And it did nothing to make you jealous," she added.

He turned away uncomfortably. The summer he and Pansy had broken up was the same summer that his father was imprisoned and Draco was forced to take the Dark Mark. Nothing but staying alive mattered to him at that point. "Would it help if I told you that I was jealous of you that year?" he asked.

Frowning, Pansy shook her head as she neared him. "No, because I know why," she replied. "I would expect nothing less from someone in your position."

"Want to know the worst part of it," he said. "I finally realized what Harry had been going through all those years. Being the 'Chosen One'. It's not something I'd wish on my worst enemy."

"Are you comparing yourself to the saviour of the wizarding world?" she asked, attempting and failing to hold back a smile. "You were the antithesis of Harry Potter. Actually, you still are."

Draco laughed as he thanked her. "It's not the worst thing that's been said about me."

Pansy reclaimed a seat at the table and played with the salt shaker. "What would you have done?" she wondered. "Say you were in Theo's position, and beautiful women were throwing themselves at you. What would you do? I mean, I know what you told Hermione, but is it the truth?"

Leaning against the refrigerator, he nodded. "You're damn right it's the truth," he replied. "I know I've lied about everything in the past, but I've never lied to her. I don't want to. I don't want to be with anyone else. Even when we weren't together, I only wanted Hermione."

"So, if she had stayed with Adrian, what would you have done?" Pansy asked.

Draco shrugged. "I don't know," he said honestly. "And hopefully I never have to find out."

Getting to her feet once more, she stood in front of him. "It doesn't seem fair," she murmured. "Hermione gets the good you when all I ever got was a broken heart."

"Pansy," he said warningly.

Rising to the tips of her toes, she pressed her lips to his quickly before pulling away. "I'm sorry," she whispered before leaving the kitchen.


	18. Chapter 18

Happy Friday, pay day, and start of a three day weekend! I'm gonna need the long weekend before jumping into a week of covering for pretty much my entire department. Wish me luck.

* * *

Chapter 17

It was close to midnight and Hermione was still in her office. She rubbed tired, overused eyes, but pushed on. If she finished this project now...she could start on another one tomorrow, she realized. Groaning, she closed her eyes and let her head fall forward. Exhaustion was all she could feel, but she knew she needed to push through it.

The door opening seemed like a dream, she decided, and wondered if Draco was really walking towards her. "Let's go home," he whispered, kissing her forehead as he helped her to her feet. With his arm wrapped around her, he helped her into the fireplace and floo'd home. He led her to their bedroom and helped her undress as she closed her eyes. "I really wish you wouldn't push yourself so hard," he told her as he undid the clasp on her robes. "You're going to make yourself sick."

"There's just so much to do," she murmured, lying back on the bed. "Too much thinking to do."

"What are you thinking about, love?" he asked.

Hermione sighed as he repositioned her against the pillows. "Pansy," she replied. "Why did she leave? I wanted her to stay."

Sighing, he knew he had to tell her what had happened days ago between Pansy and himself. Standing on the opposite side of the bed, away from her and with her wand out of reach, he told her. "She kissed me," he said, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his chest. "It was an accident, I think. It just sort of happened and then she ran away."

Hermione sat up, fully alert as she stared at her boyfriend. "Please tell me this is a joke," she replied. "Or a dream. Anything but the truth."

"I'm so sorry," he said.

"Do you have feelings for her?" she wondered, and Draco shook his head emphatically. "Do you think she has feelings for you?"

Shrugging, he sat down. "I don't know," he replied. "I think maybe she might, or it could just be that she's upset about Theo. I just...I don't know what else to say. I'm so sorry, Hermione."

"What am I supposed to say?" she wondered, feeling her anger grow. "It's alright, sweetheart? Mistakes happen? I'm totally fine with you kissing your ex? And let me just add that I'm really happy you waited three days to tell me."

"I should have told you sooner," he agreed. "You've been so stressed lately with work that I didn't want to add anything else to your plate. That's no excuse, but it's all I have. I spent a lot of time making you miserable and hurting you, and I didn't want to do that anymore. I love you too much. Please, Hermione, please believe me that I'm sorry."

Fighting back tears, she nodded. "I do," she replied, as a sob caught in her throat. "I do believe you."

Rounding the bed, he sat down in front of her and held her face in his hands. "Tell me we're okay," he pleaded.

Shaking her head dislodged his hands, and Hermione was free to leave the bed. "If Ron kissed me, would you be able to forgive it?" she wondered. He opened his mouth to reply, but she continued on without allowing him to speak. "You said we were solid, that I was it for you. Pansy knew that. Why would she kiss you?"

He sat in silence, regretting his decision to tell her what had happened. A part of him wished he had just let her believe that Pansy had gone to live with Blaise for no reason other than the space his house afforded. He could have gone his whole life without telling her about the kiss, but he knew he would have lived with the guilt of that decision.

"I don't know," he replied. "But believe me, I gave her no indication that I wanted her to. I have never lied to you about my feelings for you, Hermione. I have never loved anyone the way I love you. You really are it for me. I just wish I knew how to prove it to you."

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes with her shirt sleeve and sat down beside him. "I thought it was my fault that she left," Hermione admitted. "Maybe I had done something to make her mad or uncomfortable."

"You did," he said with a nervous laugh. "You changed me."

"I didn't change you," she replied. "You changed yourself."

Nodding, he wrapped his arm around her. "Yeah, but I think I did it for you," he told her. "I needed a friend, and for some crazy reason, you wanted to fill that role. _I_ wanted you to fill that role. But I knew that you'd never give me the time of day if I continued acting like a pompous, superior pureblood git."

Hermione closed her eyes as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Some days you still do act that way," she murmured exhaustedly. "I still love you though. A part of me still wishes Pansy had stayed."

"You do realize you can't beat up a pregnant woman," he pointed out.

Pushing his arm away, she pulled back the blankets and slipped beneath them. "Why would I beat her up?" she wondered. "It was a mistake, right? One that won't be repeated. Besides, she's still my friend. I want to know that she's okay."

"Blaise will take good care of her," Draco assured her as he laid down beside her. "They're sort of like us in a way. When it comes to Pansy, Blaise would do anything for her."

Hermione had seen the way Blaise would look at their friend. There had been a sense of longing and disappointment in his dark eyes when Pansy was with Theo. It was as if it dawned on him every time that he had missed his chance to be with her, and Hermione wondered if this was his opportunity to correct that wrong.

"What would you do?" she wondered. "If we were in that situation, what would you do?"

"If you were pregnant with another man's child?" he asked as he considered the question. "I would want to be the one to take care of you. I'm always going to want to take care of you. Do you think you'd let me?"

A gentle hand caressed his cheek. "Always," Hermione murmured, kissing his lips.


	19. Chapter 19

Any Dancing With The Stars fans? The new lineup was announced today, and they got Bill Nye the Science Guy! Watching his show used to be considered homework way back when, and it was the greatest homework assignment ever.

* * *

Chapter 18

Hermione stood nervously on Blaise's front porch as she waited for the door to open. Blaise opened the door and smiled cautiously at her. "Is Pansy home?" she asked.

"That depends. Does she have anything to be afraid of?" he asked, blocking the entrance with his body.

Smiling, she shook her head. "I promise, no harm will come to her," she replied. "I just want to let her know that."

Nodding, he moved aside to let her in, then escorted her to Pansy's room on the second floor. His house was small; two well decorated, welcoming floors were all he needed. For men who grew up in fine mansions, it always surprised Hermione that Blaise and Draco were able to comfortably live in smaller spaces.

Blaise gently knocked on the guest bedroom door, and when it opened, Pansy paled. "Hermione, hi," she said nervously.

"Could we talk?" Hermione asked, then glanced at Blaise. "Alone?"

He eyed Hermione suspiciously. "Fine, but I'll be right here," he warned. "I'd like your wand, Granger."

One eyebrow piqued, but she handed it over before entering Pansy's room. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised that he doesn't trust me," she joked, taking a seat on the bed. "But, um, I want you to know that Draco told me what happened, and I'm not mad. I was upset when he told me. Hurt even."

Tears sprang to Pansy's eyes as she listened, feeling guiltier with every word Hermione spoke. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Hermione reached for her hand and held it tightly. "Don't be," she replied. "Draco and I are okay, and I hope we're okay too. Because, honestly, sometimes he drives me crazy, and you're the only one who'll let me gripe about him. Harry just reminds me that Draco used to be a git, and I never should have befriended him in the first place."

Pansy laughed softly. "Things are really good with him still?" she asked.

Nodding, Hermione smiled. "I'm just wondering, though, why did you kiss him?" she asked.

Looking away, Pansy shrugged. "Draco's the first boy I ever loved," she confessed. "And he never loved me back. I think maybe some part of me still wants him to after all these years and all the bad things that have happened. I thought maybe if he changed for you, he could have changed for me too. It's crazy, though. I know it is. He only wants you. The rest of the world could disappear as long as he's got you."

"I think I've taken that for granted," Hermione admitted. "He keeps telling me that I'm the only one for him, but then I get it in my head that he's going to find someone else, someone better. What happened with Theo scares me."

"What happened with Theo isn't going to happen to you and Draco," Pansy promised. "Well, unless I stick around. You have to believe that things are good between the two of you. Otherwise, you wind up sabotaging a really great relationship."

Hermione nodded, knowing she was doing exactly that by working long hours and pushing Draco away with her insecurities. He did his best to reassure her that he loved her, but nothing seemed to ease her mind. "I'm going to try," she decided. "I love him, and I know he loves me. So, I'm going to do whatever I can to prove to Draco that I believe him."

"How are you going to do that?" Pansy wondered.

Smiling, Hermione got to her feet. "I think I have an idea," she replied. "We'll just have to see if Draco responds well."

Pansy wished her luck, retrieved her wand from Blaise, and walked her to the front door, then watched through the front window as she Apparated out of sight. "Well?" Blaise asked, sidling up beside her. Pansy turned to him with knitted eyebrows. "Did you tell her that you're in love with her boyfriend?"

Sighing, Pansy shrugged. "I told her I have feelings for him, but I'm not in love with Draco," she replied. "Is it so wrong to want a relationship like theirs? After being with Theo, is it so wrong that I just want someone who loves me unconditionally? His world revolves around Hermione. I want that too."

Blaise shook his head and sat down. "It's not going to happen with Draco," he stated.

She continued to stare out the window, unable to face him. "I know that," she whispered.

"Do you?" he wondered. "Because sometimes it's hard to tell. Were you hoping to break them up, thinking that he'd come crawling back to you if he didn't have Hermione? Face it, the day you cheated on him, you lost him."

When she finally turned around to face him, tears watered in her blue eyes. "Why are you acting like this?" she asking, swiping angrily at the tears that fell down her cheeks. "I get it, okay? I screwed up with Draco, then I screwed things up with you, and now I've gone and screwed up with Theo. I know that I'm a mess, so you don't have to point it out."

Getting to his feet, Blaise placed his hands on her shoulders and sighed. "You're not a mess," he told her. "Even if you were, I wouldn't care."

"Why's that?" she wondered, her voice soft as she looked deeply into his brown, caring eyes.

"Because when you have feelings for someone, you accept everything about them, flaws included," he replied, moving one hand from her shoulder to her cheek.

She refused to allow herself to put too much optimism into his words. After all, Theo had once made her believe the same things Blaise was now saying. The words sounded different coming from this man's lips though. They sounded heartfelt and sincere, and Pansy wanted to believe them. "What kind of feelings do you have for me?" she asked.

Blaise smiled as he caressed her cheek. "The kind I probably shouldn't have for my pregnant, newly single friend," he admitted. "I can't seem to help it though. When you broke up with Drake, I thought I finally had a chance."

Pansy frowned guiltily. "And I ruined everything," she said for him, knowing that he wouldn't. "Back then, all I thought about was Draco, and I didn't care who I used to get him back. I'm grateful that I didn't lose you though."

"Or Hermione," he added. "I've seen her angry, and it's terrifying."

With a gentle laugh, she agreed. "I don't know who I'm going to rely on more when the baby comes - her or you," she admitted.

Leaning forward, his lips brushed tentatively over Pansy's. "I'm here, no matter what," he stated as he pulled away.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 19

"Where's Hermione?" Narcissa inquired when Draco entered the parlor.

Draco rolled his eyes as he poured himself a drink. "She's coming separately," he stated. "Honestly, Mother. Would it kill you to say hello first before asking about Hermione? Make me believe that you care about your only son."

"You know I do," she retorted, not willing to feed her son's belief that he wasn't loved. "Now, when will she be arriving?"

Sitting down, drink in hand, he shrugged. "I don't know, honestly," he replied. "All she told me was that she needed to help her mother with something, and that she would meet me here. And yes, I intend to make her suffer for this."

Lucius chuckled as he joined them. "Just a month ago she was the love of his life," he commented. "Now he intends to harm her. Has the honeymoon period worn off so soon?"

The youngest Malfoy rolled his eyes and stared at the fireplace, willing his girlfriend to emerge. The family sat in silence until their house elf, Twinky, nervously poked his head in the room. "Miss Granger and the mister and misses Granger are here," he announced.

Draco rose from the sofa. "Why would her parents be here?" he wondered and watched the elf cower. "Oh stop it. You know she'd hex me before I could do anything to harm you."

Twinky escorted him to the foyer where the elf promptly left for the kitchens. "He's shy," Hermione informed her parents before turning her attention to Draco. "Surprised?"

"Very," he replied flatly. "What's going on? Do you really think this is a good idea? My parents have never met muggles that they haven't tortured. Do you really think your parents should be the test subjects to see if the Malfoys really have changed?"

Head held high, Hermione shot him a defiant look. "They have changed, Draco," she stated. "Give your parents a bit of credit. They're not the monsters you make them out to be."

Draco hung back with Mr. Granger as Hermione led her mother to the parlor. "Did Hermione tell you why she brought you here?" he asked. The older man shook his head and scowled. "Well, you seem just as happy about this as I am. Might as well get you a drink."

Joining the rest of their families, Draco poured Mr. Granger a drink before topping off his own. No one spoke as he sat down, though his mother and father glanced between him and the Grangers as they waited for someone to put an end to the uncomfortable tension.

Finally, Hermione cleared her throat. "Mrs. Malfoy, I, um, was telling my mother about your gardens," she said. "Would it be alright if, after dinner, I show her around?"

Narcissa merely nodded as she sat up impossibly straighter. "I think that would be fine," she added when Draco glared at her.

They lapsed into silence again until Lucius asked Robert about dentistry. Hermione's father shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but it was her mother who answered his questions. "What's his fascination with teeth?" he whispered to Hermione. Giggling, she shrugged and listened to the conversation between the wizard and the muggle dentist.

"I find it quite amusing," Draco commented, switching seats with Hermione's mother. "Merlin, she really can talk to anyone."

Hermione nodded proudly. "That she can," she agreed. "I certainly did not inherit that from my mother. My nose yes, my social grace no."

Chuckling, Draco leaned in closer and wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's shoulders. "So, do you want to tell me now why you brought your parents?" he inquired.

Hermione shrugged. "I was testing a theory," she stated matter-of-factly. "A theory I can't tell you about just yet. I promise I will."

"Yeah? Will it be soon?" Draco asked. Again, all she did was shrug.

Hermione managed to keep her nerves in check throughout dinner and dessert. Draco was of little help as he continued to pester her about her parents' presence. She had noticed that Narcissa had begun to warm to her guests, interjecting here and there with questions for Hermione's parents. When they adjourned to the parlor for coffee and dessert, Hermione knew it was time to put her plan in motion.

Taking a deep breath, she stopped Draco before he could take a seat. "There's, um, something I want to ask you," she started, her voice quivering. "There's a reason I asked my parents to come to dinner tonight. A couple actually. First, I needed to know that our parents could get along because I honestly believe that we'll be in each others lives forever, and I thought it was high time that they meet."

Draco chuckled as he cupped her cheek. "I can see why you were nervous about that," he replied.

With a nervous laugh, she nodded. "For a while now, I've been wracking my brain to figure out a way to prove to you that I love you and I trust you," she continued. "Because I'm pretty sure I've been horrible to you for the last few weeks. You deserve to be treated better, and-"

"Are you breaking up with me?" he asked, horror reflected in his gray eyes. "You brought your parents here to break up with me? Because they don't want us together, and we certainly know my mother thinks you can do better."

Hermione's eyes widened in shock. "No," she swore over her mother's protests. "No, I'm not breaking up with you. Merlin, Draco. I don't ever want to break up with you. I want to marry you."

"Wait, what?" he asked, taking a step back.

Sighing, she repeated herself. "I had this whole speech, but you sort of just ruined it," she replied with a teasing smile.

Draco took her by the hand and excused himself before leading her to the foyer. "You don't have to do this," he assured her. "I know the whole Pansy/Theo situation scared you, but I don't want you to think that you have to prove anything to me."

"It's not that," she replied. "For a long time, I didn't think I ever wanted to get married. But then I started dating you, and...I don't know. I know this is what I want. Did I make a fool of myself in there?"

Smiling, he shook his head. "No, you didn't," he assured her.

"So, then do you think you might want to marry me too?" she asked hopefully.

Leaning forward, he placed a tender kiss on her lips and led her back to the parlor. All eyes were on them as Draco sat down, pulling Hermione down beside him. Helen Granger seemed unable to contain her excitement as she waited for them to make their announcement. Narcissa eyed the young couple, unsure how she felt about the situation.

"Well, I think you should keep next spring available," Draco commented casually as he handed Hermione a piece of chocolate cake. "What do you think, love? May?"

Hermione smiled her brightest smile. "I think a May wedding sounds perfect."

The adults around them sat in stunned silence.


	21. Epilogue

I had started writing the Epilogue last Friday, and decided this morning to scrap it. It was a bit depressing, and I don't want to be depressed today. Thank you all so much for reading!

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Epilogue

On the third Saturday in August, Zoe Malfoy celebrated her second birthday. Following her nap, she crept downstairs and stood near the back door to watch the party being planned. Balloons and streamers decorated their small backyard while her grandparents set trays of food on the picnic tables. Knocking on the sliding glass door, she caught her mother's attention and received a smile in return.

Hermione Malfoy made her way to the door and pulled it open. "Hi baby," she greeted her little girl. Picking her up, she tucked blonde curls behind the little girl's ear before kissing her forehead.

"For me, Mama?" Zoe asked, attempting to grab a balloon as Hermione stepped off the porch.

Draco took her from Hermione's arms. "All for you, sweetheart," he replied.

Pansy and Blaise arrived a short while later with their four year old son, Vincent. Raised by Blaise, the little boy saw only him as his father, and often favored him over his mother. He was a sweet child with dark hair and his mother's eyes, and he had learned to parrot Blaise's personality.

Draco put Zoe down and the happy little girl ran to the newly arrived family. Despite the age difference, the two children got along almost as well as their parents did, and Draco had noticed that Vincent was often quite protective of his daughter.

"They're going to get married one day," Pansy predicted, easing herself into a chair.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "She's two. Just let her be two," she replied. "I'm not ready to discuss the union of our children just yet."

"Next thing you know she'll be asking when we're having baby number two so she can marry off her unborn child as well," Draco added. Pansy caressed her swollen stomach and grinned at him. "Maybe we'll spite you and let Zoe be an only child."

Behind him, Narcissa scowled. "Stop that, the both of you," she chastised. "I swear, sometimes the two of you are more immature than the actual children."

The pair exchanged a pleased look while their spouses seemed less than amused. "Look at them," Draco commented. "Always pretending they're so superior to us because my mother finds no fault with them."

Grinning, Hermione kissed him. "That's because Blaise and I have no flaws," she replied. "Now, go help your father finish the decorations. Harry will be here soon, and we both know the minute he shows up, the both of you will disappear."

Blaise offered to help, and the pair did as they were told. Sitting down beside Pansy, Hermione sighed tiredly. "It hasn't even started, and I'm ready for this party to be over," she confessed.

"Remind me again why you insist on inviting Ginny Weasley to these family events," Pansy requested.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione stated her exact reasoning. "Ginny _Potter_ is invited because Harry is still one of my closest friends. I know you don't like her and Draco doesn't like her. Hell, half the time _I_ don't like her. But, as my husband so astutely puts it, couples are a package deal. I can't invite Harry and not allow him to bring his wife."

Shrugging, Pansy called over Hermione's mother. "Do you agree with that, Mrs. Granger?" she inquired.

"No," Helen replied. "While it's the right thing to do, I can't say I wouldn't make the exception this once. That girl continues to go on and on about how Hermione should have married her brother. It's been a decade since they broke up, mind you. And if I hear her say that Zoe would be cuter with red hair, I might slap her."

The younger women giggled at her candor. "Should we ask Narcissa for her opinion as well?" Pansy wondered.

Hearing her name, the elder witch turned around to face them. "Hermione did the right thing," she stated sternly. "End of discussion."

Vindicated, Hermione called Zoe to her. "Yang-Yang brought you a pretty dress. Why don't you let her dress you," she suggested, sending the little girl off with her grandmother.

"What the hell kind of name is Yang-Yang?" Pansy wondered.

Hermione shrugged and got to her feet. "No idea," she replied. "She just decided that's what she was going to call Narcissa. Her first words too. Naturally, Lucius refused to let her dictate his name, and taught her to say Papa. Mum's still upset that she's called Gigi. Doesn't think it's as cool as Yang-Yang."

"I've always appreciated that your parents let Vinnie call them Gigi and Grandpa," Pansy said. "Makes it seem like he's actually got grandparents."

Smiling, Hermione patted her shoulder. "You're family," she replied with a shrug.

With the decorations complete, the food set out, and Zoe dressed, all the party needed now were guests. As they slowly filtered in, Zoe eyed the presents with enthusiasm. "She's her mother," Helen whispered to Narcissa each time their granddaughter asked if they were all for her.

"Really? She sounds so much like Draco," Narcissa replied with a smile. "Just last Christmas, he asked the same thing."

The two women had become fast friends despite their awkward initial introduction five years earlier. They had bonded over wedding planning, taking over the affair despite Hermione's protests. When they learned that they would be grandmothers, the pair was on hand to offer advice and suggestions, and took turns helping Hermione while Draco worked. Their friendship didn't revolve only their children's relationship though. They shopped together and discussed recipes, much to their husbands' amusement. The men were often left to their own devices while their wives spent time together.

"You doing alright?" Draco asked, wrapping his arms around his wife who stood on the deck.

Turning her head, she smiled at him. She had been surveying their blended group - Gryffindors, Slytherins, muggles, and the magical. Their friendship, it seemed, had created a harmonious blend where there had once only been animosity and prejudice.

"Never better."

The End


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